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List of dams and reservoirs in California facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Following is a list of dams and reservoirs in California in a sortable table. There are over 1,400 named dams and 1,300 named reservoirs in the state of California.

Dams in service

Reservoir Dam River County Owner Completed Type Height of dam Reservoir capacity
(ft) (m) (acre ft) (1,000 m3)
Almaden Reservoir Almaden Dam Alamitos Creek Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District 1935 Earth 108 33 1,586 1,956
Alpine Lake Alpine Dam Lagunitas Creek Marin Marin Municipal Water District 1917 Gravity 143 44 8,892 10,968
Anderson Lake Leroy Anderson Dam Coyote Creek Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District 1950 Earth 235 72 91,280 112,590
Antelope Lake Antelope Dam Upper Indian Creek Plumas California Department of Water Resources 1965 Earth 120 37 22,566 27,835
Balsam Forebay Balsam Meadow Dam Balsam Creek, West Fork Fresno Southern California Edison 1986 Rock-fill 127 39 2,040 2,500
Barker Reservoir Barker Dam off-stream reservoir Riverside Joshua Tree National Park 1949  ? 15 4.6 290 ?
Barrett Lake Barrett Dam Cottonwood Creek San Diego County San Diego 1923 Concrete gravity 171 52 34,206 42,192
Bass Lake Crane Valley Dam Willow Creek, North Fork Madera Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1910 Hydraulic fill 145 44 45,410 56,010
Bear Gulch Reservoir Bear Gulch Dam off-stream reservoir San Mateo California Water Service Company 1896 Earth 61 19 672 829
Bear River Reservoir Bear River Dam Bear River Amador Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1900 Rock-fill 83 25 6,818 8,410
Beardsley Lake Beardsley Dam Stanislaus River, Middle Fork Tuolumne Oakdale & South San Joaquin Irrigation Districts 1957 Earth and rock 278 85 70,600 87,000
Bethany Reservoir Bethany Forebay Dam Italian Slough tributary Alameda California Department of Water Resources 1961 Earth 95 29 5,250 6,480
Big Bear Lake Bear Valley Dam Bear Creek San Bernardino Big Bear Municipal Water District 1911 Multiple arch 80 24 74,000 91,000
Big Dry Creek Reservoir Big Dry Creek Dam Dry Creek and Dog Creek Fresno Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District 1948 Earth 50 15 30,200 37,300
Big Sage Reservoir Big Sage Dam Rattlesnake Creek Modoc Hot Springs Valley Irrigation District 1921 Earth 49 15 77,000 95,000
Big Tujunga Reservoir Big Tujunga Dam Big Tujunga Creek Los Angeles Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 1931 Variable radius arch 208 63 5,750 7,090
Black Butte Lake Black Butte Dam Stony Creek Tehama and Glenn United States Army Corps of Engineers 1963 Earth 156 48 143,700 177,300
Boca Reservoir Boca Dam Little Truckee River Nevada United States Bureau of Reclamation 1939 Earth 93 28 41,110 50,720
Bon Tempe Lake Bon Tempe Dam Lagunitas Creek Marin Marin Municipal Water District 1949 Earth 98 30 4,300 5,300
Bouquet Reservoir Bouquet Canyon Dam Bouquet Creek Los Angeles Los Angeles Department of Water and Power 1934 Earth 190 58 36,505 45,028
Bowman Lake Bowman Dam Canyon Creek Nevada Nevada Irrigation District 1927 Rock-fill 175 53 64,000 79,000
Bridgeport Reservoir Bridgeport Dam East Walker River Mono Walker River Irrigation District 1924 Earth 63 19 44,100 54,400
Briones Reservoir Briones Dam Bear Creek Contra Costa East Bay Municipal Utility District 1964 Earth 273 83 67,520 83,280
Brush Creek Reservoir Brush Creek Dam Brush Creek El Dorado Sacramento Municipal Utility District 1970 Variable radius arch 213 65 1,530 1,890
Bucks Lake Bucks Storage Dam Bucks Creek Plumas Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1928 Rock-fill 122 37 103,000 127,000
Butt Valley Reservoir Butt Valley Dam Butt Creek Plumas Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1924 Hydraulic fill 106 32 49,800 61,400
Buena Vista Lake Buena Vista Dam off-stream reservoir Kern J. Boswell & Tenneco West 1890 Earth 20 6.1 205,000 253,000
Calaveras Reservoir Calaveras Dam Calaveras Creek Alameda City and County of San Francisco 1925 Hydraulic fill 210 64 30,000 (restricted due to seismic hazard) 37,000
Calero Reservoir Calero Dam Calero Creek Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District 1935 Earth 90 27 9,850 12,100
Camanche Reservoir Camanche Dam Mokelumne River San Joaquin, Amador, and Calaveras East Bay Municipal Utility District 1963 Earth 171 52 417,120 514,510
Camp Far West Reservoir Camp Far West Dam Bear River Yuba South Sutter Water District 1963 Earth and rock 185 56 104,500 128,900
Canyon Lake Railroad Canyon Dam San Jacinto River Riverside Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District 1928 Variable radius arch 94 29 11,900 14,600
Caples Lake Caples Lake Dam Silver Fork tributary Alpine El Dorado Irrigation District 1922 Earth and rock 71 22 21,580 26,620
Carbon Canyon Reservoir Carbon Canyon Dam Carbon Canyon Creek Orange United States Army Corps of Engineers 1961 Earth 99 30 6,615 8,160
Castaic Lake Castaic Dam Castaic Creek Los Angeles California Department of Water Resources 1973 Earth 340 100 323,700 399,300
Cedar Lake Cedar Lake Dam Talmadge Creek San Bernardino First Congregational Church of Los Angeles 1928 Arch dam 28 8.5 30 37
Cherry Lake Cherry Valley Dam Cherry Creek Tuolumne City and County of San Francisco 1956 Earth and rock 315 96 273,500 337,400
Chesbro Reservoir Elmer Chesbro Dam Llagas Creek Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District 1955 Earth and rock 95 29 8,952 11,042
Clear Lake Cache Creek Dam Cache Creek Lake Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District 1914 Gravity 30 9.1 1,155,000 1,425,000
Clear Lake Reservoir Clear Lake Dam Lost River Modoc United States Bureau of Reclamation 1910 Rock-fill 32 9.8 451,000 556,000
Clifton Court Forebay Clifton Court Forebay Dam Old River tributary Contra Costa California Department of Water Resources 1970 Earth 34 10 29,000 36,000
Cogswell Reservoir Cogswell Dam San Gabriel River, West Fork Los Angeles Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 1935 Rock-fill 266 81 8,969 11,063
Collins Lake Virginia Ranch Dam Dry Creek (Yuba River) Yuba Browns Valley Irrigation District 1963 Earth 152 46 57,000 70,000
Copco Lake Copco No 1 Dam Klamath River Siskiyou PacifiCorp 1922 Gravity 132 40 77,000 95,000
Courtright Reservoir Courtright Dam Helms Creek Fresno Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1958 Rock-fill 315 96 123,300 151,700
Coyote Lake Coyote Dam Coyote Creek Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District 1936 Earth and rock 138 42 22,925 28,278
Crowley Lake Long Valley Dam Owens River Mono City of Los Angeles 1941 Earth 126 38 183,465 226,300
Crystal Springs Reservoir Lower Crystal Springs Dam San Mateo Creek San Mateo City and County of San Francisco 1888 Gravity 149 45 57,910 71,430
Diamond Valley Lake Diamond Valley Dam Domenigoni Valley Creek Riverside Metropolitan Water District of Southern California 1999 Earth and rock 284 87 800,000 987,000
Dodge Reservoir Red Rock No. 1 Dam Red Rock Creek Lassen Edgar S. Roberts 1893 Earth 63 19 10,000 12,000
Don Pedro Reservoir New Don Pedro Dam Tuolumne River Tuolumne Modesto Irrigation District and Turlock Irrigation District 1971 Earth and rock 568 173 2,030,000 2,504,000
Donnell Lake Donnells Dam Stanislaus River, Middle Fork Tuolumne Oakdale Irrigation District and South San Joaquin Irrigation District 1958 Variable radius arch 291 89 56,893 70,176
Donner Lake Donner Lake Dam Donner Creek Nevada Truckee Meadows Water Authority 1927 Slab and buttress 16 4.9 10,300 12,700
Duvall Lake Duvall Dam Pope Creek tributary Napa Jerome W. Komes 1940 Earth 30 9.1 242 299
East Park Reservoir East Park Dam Little Stony Creek Colusa United States Bureau of Reclamation 1910 Concrete gravity 92 28 51,000 63,000
Eastman Lake Buchanan Dam Chowchilla River Madera and Mariposa United States Army Corps of Engineers 1975 Earth and rock 192 59 150,000 185,000
Eaton Wash Reservoir Eaton Wash Dam Eaton Wash Los Angeles Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 1937 Rock-fill 63 19 721 889
El Capitan Reservoir El Capitan Dam San Diego River San Diego City of San Diego 1934 Hydraulic fill 237 72 112,800 139,100
Elderberry Forebay Elderberry Forebay Dam Castaic Creek Los Angeles California Department of Water Resources 1974 Earth 179 55 28,400 35,000
Englebright Lake Englebright Dam Yuba River Yuba United States Army Corps of Engineers 1941 Variable radius arch 280 85 70,000 86,000
Fallen Leaf Lake Fallen Leaf Dam Taylor Creek El Dorado United States Forest Service 1934 Gravity 12 3.7 6,800 8,400
Farmington Flood Control Basin Farmington Dam Rock Creek and Little John Creek San Joaquin United States Army Corps of Engineers 1951 Earth 58 18 52,000 64,000
Florence Lake Florence Lake Dam San Joaquin River, South Fork Fresno Southern California Edison 1926 Multiple arch 149 45 64,406 79,444
Folsom Lake Folsom Dam American River Sacramento, Placer and El Dorado United States Army Corps of Engineers 1956 Gravity 275 84 975,000 1,203,000
Foster Lake Foster Lake Dam Lily Creek Riverside Idyllwild Water District Earth 55 68
French Lake Reservoir French Lake Dam Canyon Creek Nevada Nevada Irrigation District 1859/1948 Rock-fill 100 30 55 15,400
French Meadows Reservoir L.L. Anderson Dam American River, Middle Fork Placer Placer County Water Authority 1965 Earth and rock 231 70 111,333 137,327
Frenchman Lake Frenchman Dam Little Last Chance Creek Plumas California Department of Water Resources 1961 Earth 129 39 55,477 68,430
Gene Wash Reservoir Gene Wash Dam San Bernardino
Gibraltar Reservoir Gibraltar Dam Santa Ynez River Santa Barbara City of Santa Barbara 1920 Constant radius arch 169 52 9,998 12,332
Grant Lake Grant Lake Dam Rush Creek Mono City of Los Angeles 1940 Earth 87 27 47,525 58,622
Guadalupe Reservoir Guadalupe Dam Guadalupe Creek Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District 1935 Earth 142 43 3,460 4,270
Hahamongna Devil's Gate Arroyo Seco Los Angeles Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 1920 Gravity and rock ? ? ? ?
Hansen Flood-Control Reservoir Hansen Dam Tujunga Wash Los Angeles United States Army Corps of Engineers 1940 Earth 97 30 25,446 31,387
Hensley Lake Hidden Dam Fresno River Madera United States Army Corps of Engineers 1974 Earth 163 50 90,000 111,000
Hernandez Reservoir Hernandez Dam San Benito River San Benito San Benito County Water District 1962 Earth 124 38 18,000 22,000
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir O'Shaughnessy Dam Tuolumne River Tuolumne City and County of San Francisco 1923 Gravity 312 95 360,000 444,000
Hollywood Reservoir Mulholland Dam Weid Canyon Los Angeles Los Angeles Department of Water and Power 1924 Gravity 195 59 4,036 4,978
Hume Lake Hume Lake Dam Ten Mile Creek Fresno United States Forest Service 1908 Multiple arch 51 16 1,410 1,740
Huntington Lake Huntington Dams 1, 2, 3, and 4 Big Creek Fresno Southern California Edison 1913/1919 Gravity ? ? 89,166 109,985
Imperial Reservoir Imperial Diversion Dam Colorado River Imperial United States Bureau of Reclamation 1938 Gravity 23 7.0 1,000 1,200
Indian Valley Reservoir Indian Valley Dam Cache Creek, North Fork Lake Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District 1976 Earth 222 68 300,000 370,000
Iron Canyon Reservoir Iron Canyon Dam Iron Canyon Creek Shasta Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1965 Earth 210 64 24,300 30,000
Iron Gate Reservoir Iron Gate Dam Klamath River Siskiyou PacifiCorp 1962 Earth and rock 188 57 58,000 72,000
Ivanhoe Reservoir Ivanhoe Reservoir Dam Manmade Los Angeles Los Angeles Department of Water and Power 1906 Earth ? ? ? ?
Jackson Meadows Reservoir Jackson Meadows Dam Yuba River, Middle Fork Nevada Nevada Irrigation District 1965 Rock-fill 195 59 52,500 64,800
Jenkinson Lake Sly Park Dam Sly Park Creek El Dorado El Dorado Irrigation District 1955 Earth 182 55 41,000 51,000
Kent Lake Peters Dam Lagunitas Creek Marin Marin Municipal Water District 1954 Earth 230 70 32,900 40,600
Keswick Reservoir Keswick Dam Sacramento River Shasta United States Bureau of Reclamation 1950 Gravity 118 36 23,772 29,345
Lafayette Reservoir Contra Costa East Bay Municipal Utility District 1933 Open-cut 4,296 5,299
La Grange Reservoir La Grange Dam Tuolumne River Stanislaus and Tuolumne Turlock Irrigation District 1894 Gravity 131 40 500 620
Lake Almanor Canyon Dam Feather River, North Fork Plumas Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1927 Hydraulic fill 130 40 1,308,000 1,613,000
Lake Aloha Medley Lakes Dam American River, South Fork, Tributary El Dorado El Dorado Irrigation District 1923 Gravity 21 6 5,350 6,600
Lake Alpine Alpine Dam Silver Creek Alpine Northern California Power Agency 1906 Rock 49 15 4,122 5,084
Lake Amador Jackson Creek Dam Jackson Creek Amador Jackson Valley Irrigation District 1965 Earth and rock 193 59 22,000 27,000
Lake Arrowhead Reservoir Lake Arrowhead Dam Little Bear Creek San Bernardino Arrowhead Lake Association 1922 Hydraulic fill 190 58 48,000 59,000
Lake Berryessa Monticello Dam Putah Creek Napa United States Bureau of Reclamation 1957 Variable radius arch 255 78 1,602,000 1,976,000
Lake Britton Pit 3 Dam Pit River Shasta Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1925 Concrete gravity 120 37 34,600 42,678
Cachuma Lake Bradbury Dam Santa Ynez River Santa Barbara United States Bureau of Reclamation 1953 Earth 201 61 205,000 253,000
Lake Calero Calero Dam Deer Creek Sacramento Rancho Murieta Community Services District 1982 Earth 55 17 2,832 3,493
Lake Casitas Casitas Dam Coyote Creek Ventura United States Bureau of Reclamation 1959 Earth 279 85 254,000 313,000
Lake Clementine North Fork Dam North Fork American River Placer United States Army Corps of Engineers 1939 Variable radius arch 155 47 14,700 18,100
Lake Davis Grizzly Valley Dam Big Grizzly Creek Plumas California Department of Water Resources 1966 Earth and rock 115 35 83,000 102,000
Lake Del Valle Del Valle Dam Arroyo Valle Alameda California Department of Water Resources 1968 Earth 222 68 77,100 95,100
Lake Eleanor Banning Dam Eleanor Creek Ventura Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency 1889 Gravity 37 11 ? ?
Lake Elsman Austrian Dam Los Gatos Creek Santa Clara San Jose Water Agency 1950 Earth 185 56 6,200 7,650
Lake Fulmor Hall Mill Dam Indian Creek Riverside U.S. Forest Service
Lake Gallaher Gallaher Dam Bear Trap Creek Riverside California Inland Empire Council, Boy Scouts of America 1966
Lake Gregory Lake Gregory Dam Houston Creek San Bernardino San Bernardino County Regional Parks Division 1938 Earth 90 27 2,100 2,600
Lake Havasu Parker Dam Colorado River San Bernardino and Mohave United States Bureau of Reclamation 1938 Variable radius arch 75 23 648,000 799,000
Lake Hemet Lake Hemet Dam San Jacinto River Riverside Lake Hemet Municipal Water District 1895 Masonry (arch) 135 41 8,100 9,800
Lake Hennessey Conn Creek Dam Conn Creek Napa City of Napa 1946 Earth 125 38 31,000 38,000
Lake Henshaw Henshaw Dam San Luis Rey River San Diego Vista Irrigation District 1923 Hydraulic fill 123 37.5 53,400 65,700
Lake Hodges Lake Hodges Dam San Dieguito River San Diego City of San Diego 1918 Multiple arch 131 40 30,250 37,200
Lake Irvine Santiago Dam Santiago Creek Orange Serrano Water District and Irvine Ranch Water District 1933 Earth 136 41 25,000 31,000
Lake Isabella Isabella Dam Kern River Kern United States Army Corps of Engineers 1953 Earth 185 56 568,000 701,000
Lake Jennings Chet Harritt Dam Quail Canyon Creek San Diego Helix Water District 1962 Earth 200 61 9,790 12,080
Lake Kaweah Terminus Dam Kaweah River Tulare United States Army Corps of Engineers 1962 Earth 255 78 143,000 176,000
Lake Lagunitas Lagunitas Dam Lagunitas Creek Marin Marin Municipal Water District 1872 Earth 48 15 341 421
Lake Loveland Loveland Dam Sweetwater River San Diego South Bay Irrigation District 1945 Variable radius arch 203 62 25,400 31,300
Lake Mathews Mathews Dam Cajalco Creek tributary Riverside Metropolitan Water District of Southern California 1938 Earth 264 80 182,000 224,000
Lake McClure New Exchequer Dam Merced River Mariposa Merced Irrigation District 1967 Rock-fill 479 146 1,032,000 1,273,000
Lake Mendocino Coyote Valley Dam East Fork Russian River Mendocino United States Army Corps of Engineers 1959 Earth 164 50 122,400 151,000
Nacimiento Reservoir Nacimiento Dam Nacimiento River San Luis Obispo Monterey County Water Resources Agency 1958 Rock-fill 210 64 377,900 466,133
Lake Natoma Nimbus Dam American River Sacramento United States Bureau of Reclamation 1955 Gravity 47 14 8,760 10,810
Lake Oroville Oroville Dam Feather River Butte California Department of Water Resources 1968 Earth 742 226 3,537,577 4,363,530
Lake Palmdale Harold Reservoir Dam Antelope Valley tributary Los Angeles Palmdale Water District 1891 Earth 30 9 3,870 4,774
Lake Perris Perris Dam Bernasconi Pass Riverside California Department of Water Resources 1973 Earth 130 40 131,452 162,143
Lake Pillsbury Scott Dam Eel River Lake Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1921 Gravity 138 42 73,000 90,000
Lake Piru Santa Felicia Dam Piru Creek Ventura United Water Conservation District 1955 Earth 213 65 100,000 123,000
Lake Ramona Ramona Dam Green Valley Road Creek San Diego Ramona Municipal Water District 1988 Earth 228 69 12,200 15,000
Lake Sabrina Sabrina Dam Bishop Creek, Middle Fork Inyo Southern California Edison 1908 Rock-fill 70 21 8,376 10,332
San Antonio Reservoir San Antonio Dam San Antonio River Monterey Monterey County Water Resources Agency 1965 Earth 202 62 335,000 413,216
Lake Shastina Shasta River Dam Shasta River Siskiyou Montague Water Conservation District 1928 Hydraulic fill 96 29 50,000 60,000
Lake Sherwood Lake Sherwood Dam Potrero Valley Creek Ventura Sherwood Development Company 1904 Constant radius arch 45 14 2,600 3,200
Lake Siskiyou Box Canyon Dam Sacramento River Siskiyou Siskiyou County Flood Control & Water Conservation District 1969 Gravity 204 62 26,000 32,000
Lake Sonoma Warm Springs Dam Dry Creek Sonoma United States Army Corps of Engineers 1982 Earth 319 97 381,000 470,000
Lake Spaulding Lake Spaulding Dam Yuba River, South Fork Nevada Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1913 Variable radius arch 275 84 74,773 92,231
Lake Success Success Dam Tule River Tulare United States Army Corps of Engineers 1961 Earth 142 43 82,300 101,500
Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe Dam Truckee River Placer United States Bureau of Reclamation 1913 Gravity 14 4 732,000 903,000
Lake Thomas A Edison Vermilion Valley Dam Mono Creek Fresno Southern California Edison 1954 Earth 167 51 125,000 154,000
Lake Van Arsdale Van Arsdale Dam South Eel River Mendocino Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1907 Gravity 96 29 700 860
Lake Wishon Wishon Dam North Fork Kings River Fresno Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1958 Rock-fill 265 81 118,000 146,000
Lake Yosemite Lake Yosemite Dam Merced River tributary Merced Merced Irrigation District 1888 Earth 53 16 8,101 9,992
Lewiston Lake Lewiston Dam Trinity River Trinity United States Bureau of Reclamation 1963 Earth 35.5 10.8 14,660 18,080
Lexington Reservoir James J. Lenihan Dam Los Gatos Creek Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District 1953 Earth 208 63 19,044 23,490
Little Grass Valley Reservoir Little Grass Valley Dam South Fork Feather River Plumas South Feather Water and Power Agency 1961 Rock-fill 210 64 93,010 114,730
Little Rock Reservoir Little Rock Dam Little Rock Creek Los Angeles Little Rock Creek Irrigation District 1924 Gravity 124 38 4,600 5,700
Loch Lomond (California) Newell Creek Dam Newell Creek Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Water Dept. 1960 Earth 190 58 9,200 11,300
Loon Lake Loon Lake Dam Gerle Creek El Dorado Sacramento Municipal Utility District 1963 Rock-fill 108 33 76,500 94,500
Lopez Lake Lopez Dam Arroyo Grande Creek San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District 1969 Earth 166 51 52,500 64,800
Los Padres Reservoir Los Padres Dam Carmel River Monterey California American Water Company 1949 Earth 148 45 1,775 2,189
Los Vaqueros Reservoir (expanded) Los Vaqueros Dam off stream reservoir storing Delta diversions Contra Costa Contra Costa Water District 2012 Earth 218 70 160,000 200,000
Lower Bear River Reservoir Lower Bear River Dam Bear River, Lower Amador Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1952 Rock-fill 253 77 48,750 60,130
Lower Hell Hole Reservoir Lower Hell Hole Dam Rubicon River Placer Placer County Water Authority 1966 Rock-fill 410 125 208,400 257,100
Lower Otay Reservoir Savage Dam Otay River San Diego City of San Diego 1919 Gravity 149 45 49,510 61,070
Lyons Reservoir Lyons Dam Stanislaus River, South Fork Tuolumne Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1930 Arch dam 132 40 6,400 7,894
Malibu Reservoir Rindge Dam Malibu Creek Los Angeles California Department of Parks and Recreation 1924 Arch ? ? ? ?
Mammoth Pool Reservoir Mammoth Pool Dam San Joaquin River Fresno and Madera Southern California Edison 1960 Earth 406 124 123,000 152,000
Martis Creek Lake Martis Creek Dam Martis Creek Nevada United States Army Corps of Engineers 1972 Earth 113 34 20,400 25,200
McCloud Reservoir McCloud Dam McCloud River Shasta Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1965 Earth and rock 240 73 35,300 43,500
McKay's Point Reservoir McKay's Point Diversion Dam Stanislaus River, North Fork Calaveras Calaveras County Water District 1989 Constant radius arch 233 71 2,100 2,600
Millerton Lake Friant Dam San Joaquin River Fresno and Madera United States Bureau of Reclamation 1942 Gravity 299 91 520,500 642,000
Mittry Lake Laguna Diversion Dam Colorado River Imperial United States Bureau of Reclamation 1909 Earth and rock 10 3 1,950 2,410
Moccasin Reservoir Moccasin Dam Moccasin Creek Tuolumne San Francisco Public Utilities Commission 1930 Rock 60 18 554 683
Modesto Reservoir Modesto Reservoir Dam Tuolumne River tributary Stanislaus Modesto Irrigation District 1911 Earth 36 9 29,000 36,000
Mojave River Forks Reservoir Mojave Forks Dam Mojave River, West Fork San Bernardino United States Army Corps of Engineers 1971 Earth 204 62 89,700 110,600
Moon Lake Tule Lake Dam Cedar Creek Lassen John Hancock Mutual Insurance Company 1904 Earth 16 5 39,500 48,700
Morena Reservoir Morena Dam Cottonwood Creek San Diego City of San Diego 1912 Rock-fill 181 55 50,206 61,929
Morris Reservoir Morris Dam San Gabriel River Los Angeles Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 1935 Gravity 245 75 27,500 33,900
Mountain Meadows Reservoir Indian Ole Dam Hamilton Creek Lassen Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1929 Flashboard and buttress 26 8 24,800 30,600
New Bullards Bar Reservoir New Bullards Bar Dam Yuba River, North Fork Yuba Yuba County Water Agency 1970 Variable radius arch 635 194 969,600 1,196,000
New Hogan Lake New Hogan Dam Calaveras River Calaveras United States Army Corps of Engineers 1963 Earth 210 64 317,000 391,000
New Lake New Lake Dam Little Bear Creek San Bernardino San Bernardino County 1976 Earth 225 69 1,970 2,430
New Melones Lake New Melones Dam Stanislaus River Calaveras United States Bureau of Reclamation 1979 Rock-fill 578 176 2,400,000 2,960,000
New Spicer Meadow Reservoir New Spicer Meadow Dam Highland Creek Tuolumne and Alpine Calaveras County Water District 1989 Rock-fill 262 80 189,000 233,000
Nicasio Reservoir Seeger Dam Nicasio Creek Marin Marin Municipal Water District 1961 Earth 115 35 22,400 27,600
Olivenhain Reservoir Olivenhain Dam Escondido Creek tributary San Diego San Diego County Water Authority 2003 Gravity 309 94 24,900 30,700
O'Neill Forebay O'Neill Dam San Luis Creek Merced United States Bureau of Reclamation 1967 Earth 64 20 56,400 69,600
Pacheco Reservoir North Fork Dam North Fork Pacheco Creek Santa Clara Pacheco Pass Water District 1939 Earth 100 30 6,150 7,590
Pacoima Reservoir Pacoima Dam Pacoima Creek Los Angeles Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 1929 Variable radius arch 365 111 3,777 4,659
Palm Canyon Dam Reservoir Palm Canyon Dam Riverside Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians
none (Palo Verde Valley Irrigation District) Palo Verde Diversion Dam Colorado River Riverside United States Bureau of Reclamation 1957 Earth and rock 46 14 ? ?
Pardee Reservoir Pardee Dam Mokelumne River Amador and Calaveras East Bay Municipal Utility District 1929 Gravity 345 105 179,950 221,960
Pilarcitos Reservoir Pilarcitos Dam Pilarcitos Creek San Mateo San Francisco Public Utilities Commission 1864
Pine Flat Lake Pine Flat Dam Kings River Fresno United States Army Corps of Engineers 1954 Gravity 440 134 1,000,000 1,230,000
Pinecrest Lake Main Strawberry Dam Stanislaus River, South Fork Tuolumne Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1916 Rock-fill 143 44 18,312 22,588
Pit Six Reservoir Pit 6 Dam Pit River Shasta Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1965 Gravity 172 52 15,700 19,400
Pit 7 Reservoir Pit 7 Dam Pit River Shasta Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1965 Gravity 230 70 34,000 42,000
Poe Reservoir Poe Dam North Fork Feather River Butte Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1959 Diversion 62 19 1,150 1,418
Prado Reservoir Prado Dam Santa Ana River Riverside and San Bernardino United States Army Corps of Engineers 1941 Rock-fill 106 32 314,400 387,800
Prosser Creek Reservoir Prosser Creek Dam Prosser Creek Nevada United States Bureau of Reclamation 1962 Earth 133 41 29,800 36,800
Puddingstone Reservoir Puddingstone Dam Walnut Creek Los Angeles Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 1928 Earth 147 45 16,342 20,158
Pyramid Lake Pyramid Dam Piru Creek Los Angeles California Department of Water Resources 1973 Earth and rock 386 118 180,000 222,000
Redinger Lake Big Creek 7 Dam San Joaquin River Fresno Southern California Edison 1951 Gravity 233 71 35,000 43,000
Rollins Reservoir Rollins Dam Bear River Nevada Nevada Irrigation District 1965 Earth and rock 242 74 66,000 81,000
Rowena Reservoir Rowena Reservoir Dam off-stream reservoir Los Angeles Los Angeles Department of Water and Power 1901 Earth ? ? 30 39
Ruth Reservoir Robert W. Matthews Dam Mad River Trinity Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District 1962 Earth 150 46 51,800 63,900
Salt Spring Valley Reservoir Salt Springs Valley Dam Rock Creek Calaveras Rock Creek Water District 1882 Earth 47 14 10,900 13,400
Salt Springs Reservoir Salt Springs Dam Mokelumne River, North Fork Amador and Calaveras Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1931 Rock-fill 332 101 141,900 175,000
San Andreas Lake San Andreas Dam San Mateo Creek tributary San Mateo City and County of San Francisco 1870 Earth 107 33 19,027 23,470
San Antonio Reservoir James H. Turner Dam San Antonio Creek Alameda City and County of San Francisco 1964 Earth 193 59 50,500 62,300
San Antonio Reservoir San Antonio Dam San Antonio Creek San Bernardino United States Army Corps of Engineers 1956 Earth 160 49 7,582 9,352
San Gabriel Reservoir San Gabriel Dam No. 1 San Gabriel River Los Angeles Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 1938 Earth and rock 320 98 44,183 54,499
San Joaquin Reservoir San Joaquin Reservoir Dam Bonita Creek tributary Orange Irvine Ranch Water District 1966 Earth 224 68 3,036 3,745
San Luis Reservoir B.F. Sisk Dam (AKA San Luis Dam) San Luis Creek Merced United States Bureau of Reclamation 1967 Earth 305 93 2,041,000 2,518,000
San Pablo Reservoir San Pablo Dam San Pablo Creek Contra Costa East Bay Municipal Utility District 1920 Earth 170 52 43,193 53,278
San Vicente Reservoir San Vicente Dam San Vicente Creek San Diego City of San Diego 1943 Gravity 203 62 242,000 298,500
Santa Anita Reservoir Big Santa Anita Dam Rio Hondo tributary Los Angeles Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 1927 Variable radius arch 225 69 858 1,058
Santa Fe Reservoir Santa Fe Dam San Gabriel River Los Angeles United States Army Corps of Engineers 1947 Earth 92 28 30,887 38,098
Santa Margarita Lake Salinas Dam Salinas River San Luis Obispo United States Army Corps of Engineers 1942 Variable radius arch 135 41 26,000 32,000
Santa Rosa Creek Reservoir Santa Rosa Creek Dam Santa Rosa Creek tributary Sonoma Sonoma County Water Agency 1963 Earth 37 11 3,550 4,379
Scotts Flat Reservoir Scotts Flat Dam Deer Creek Nevada County Nevada Irrigation District 1948 Earth 175 53 49,000 60,000
Searsville Lake Searsville Dam Corte Madera Creek San Mateo County Stanford University 1890 Gravity 68 21 952 1,170
Sepulveda Flood Control Basin Sepulveda Dam Los Angeles River Los Angeles United States Army Corps of Engineers 1941 Earth 57 17 17,425 21,493
Seven Oaks Reservoir Seven Oaks Dam Santa Ana River San Bernardino United States Army Corps of Engineers 1999 Rock-fill 550 168 145,600 179,600
Shasta Lake Shasta Dam Sacramento River Shasta United States Bureau of Reclamation 1945 Gravity 521 159 4,552,200 5,615,000
Shaver Lake Shaver Lake Dam Stevenson Creek Fresno Southern California Edison 1927 Gravity 180 55 135,283 166,869
 ? Sierra Madre Dam Santa Anita Creek Los Angeles Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 1928 Constant radius arch 69 21 51 63
Silver Lake Reservoir Silver Lake Reservoir Dam off-stream reservoir Los Angeles Los Angeles Department of Water and Power 1907 Earth ? ? 2,400 3,000
Silverwood Lake Cedar Springs Dam Mojave River, West Fork San Bernardino California Department of Water Resources 1971 Earth and rock 236 72 73,000 90,050
Skinner Reservoir Skinner Clearwell Dam off-stream reservoir Riverside Metropolitan Water District of Southern California 1973/1991 Earth 44 13 44,200 54,400
Slab Creek Reservoir Slab Creek Dam American River, South Fork El Dorado Sacramento Municipal Utility District 1967 Variable radius arch 233 71 16,600 20,500
Sly Creek Reservoir Sly Creek Dam Lost Creek Butte Oroville-Wyandotte Irrigation District 1961 Earth 271 83 65,050 80,240
Spring Creek Reservoir Spring Creek Dam Spring Creek Shasta United States Bureau of Reclamation 1963 Earth 184 56 5,874 7,246
Stampede Reservoir Stampede Dam Little Truckee River Sierra United States Bureau of Reclamation 1970 Earth 226 69 226,500 279,400
Stevens Creek Reservoir Stevens Creek Dam Stevens Creek Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District 1935 Earth 129 39 3,452 4,258
Stony Gorge Reservoir Stony Gorge Dam Stony Creek Glenn United States Bureau of Reclamation 1928 Gravity 119 36 50,350 62,100
Sugar Pine Reservoir Sugar Pine Dam North Shirttail Creek Placer Foresthill Public Utility District 1981 Earth 251 77 6,916 8,531
Sulphur Creek Reservoir Sulphur Creek Dam Sulphur Creek Orange Orange County 1966 Earth 42 13 520 641
Sweetwater Reservoir Sweetwater Dam Sweetwater River San Diego Sweetwater Authority 1888 Gravity-arch type 108 88 28,079 34,635
Thermalito Afterbay Thermalito Afterbay Dam Feather River tributary Butte California Department of Water Resources 1967 Earth 38 12 57,041 70,359
Tinemaha Reservoir Tinemaha Dam Owens River Inyo City of Los Angeles 1928 Earth 32 10 16,405 20,235
Topaz Lake Topaz Dam West Walker River Mono Walker River Irrigation District 1922 Earth 122 37 126,000 155,000
Trinity Lake Trinity Dam Trinity River Trinity United States Bureau of Reclamation 1962 Earth 457 139 2,447,650 3,019,130
Tulloch Reservoir Tulloch Dam Stanislaus River Calaveras Oakdale & South San Joaquin Irrigation Districts 1958 Gravity 205 62 68,400 84,400
Turlock Lake Turlock Lake Dam Tuolumne River tributary Stanislaus Turlock Irrigation District 1915 Hydraulic fill 36 9 45,600 56,200
Twain Harte Lake Twain Harte Dam Sullivan Creek Tuolumne Twain Harte Lake Association 1928 Multiple arch dam 36 11 143 176
Twitchell Reservoir Twitchell Dam Cuyama River San Luis Obispo United States Bureau of Reclamation 1958 Earth 211 64 240,000 296,035
Union Valley Reservoir Union Valley Dam Silver Creek (American River tributary) El Dorado Sacramento Municipal Utility District 1963 Earth and rock 453 138 230,000 284,000
Upper San Leandro Reservoir San Leandro Dam San Leandro Creek Alameda & Contra Costa East Bay Municipal Utility District 1926/1977 Earth 182 55 42,000 52,000
 ? Jamestown Mines Tailings Dam Woods Creek tributary Tuolumne Tuolumne County 1994 Rock-fill 200 61 12,100 14,900
Uvas Reservoir Uvas Dam Uvas Creek Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District 1957 Earth and rock 105 32 9,935 12,255
Vail Lake Vail Dam Temecula Creek Riverside Rancho California Water District 1949 Variable radius arch 152 46 50,000 61,500
Vasona Reservoir Vasona Dam Los Gatos Creek Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District 1935 Earth and rock 34 10 495 611
 ? Villa Park Dam Santiago Creek Orange Orange County 1963 Earth 118 36 15,600 19,200
West Valley Reservoir West Valley Dam West Valley Creek Modoc South Fork Irrigation District 1936 Earth and rock 65 20 23,000 28,000
Whale Rock Reservoir Whale Rock Dam Old Creek San Luis Obispo Whale Rock Commission 1960 Earth 193 59 40,662 50,156
Whiskeytown Lake Whiskeytown Dam Clear Creek Shasta United States Bureau of Reclamation 1963 Earth 263 80 241,100 297,400
Whittier Narrows Reservoir Whittier Narrows Dam San Gabriel River Los Angeles United States Army Corps of Engineers 1957 Earth 56 17 67,060 82,720
Woodward Reservoir Woodward Dam Simmons Creek Stanislaus South San Joaquin Irrigation District 1918 Hydraulic fill 65 20 35,000 43,000


Please add to this list from the below sources.

Former dams

Proposed dams

See also

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List of dams and reservoirs in California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.