Coyote Valley Dam
Coyote Valley Dam is an earth dam located in Mendocino County, California, built in 1959. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Coyote Valley Dam
The primary purpose of Coyote Valley Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Usace - San Francisco District (federal). It impounds the East Fork Russian River near Ukiah.
The dam stands 180 feet tall and stretches 3,525 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,740 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 155,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 105 square miles. Completed in 1959, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/21/2022.
At 180 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The California dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | California |
| County | Mendocino |
| Nearest City | Ukiah |
| River/Stream | East Fork Russian River |
| Coordinates | 39.19880, -123.18330 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 180 ft |
| Dam Height | 164 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,525 ft |
| Year Completed | 1959 (67 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 155,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 155,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 74,500 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,740 acres |
| Drainage Area | 105 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 35,800 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | USACE - San Francisco District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 07/21/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA10201 |
| Federal ID | CA10201 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |