Dams in California: Complete Map of All 1,534 California Dams
California has 1,534 dams in the National Inventory of Dams, and 875 of them are classified as high hazard, meaning failure would likely cause loss of life. That’s 57% of the state’s dams in the highest risk category, the largest share of any major US state.
Use the interactive California dams map below to explore every dam in the state, color-coded by hazard level. Click any dam for its condition assessment, last inspection date, and Emergency Action Plan status. Or view the full US Dams interactive map to compare California to every other state.
Hazard
Condition
Purpose
California Dams by the Numbers
- 1,534 total dams in California
- 875 high hazard — failure would likely cause loss of life
- 165 significant hazard — potential economic or environmental damage
- 493 low hazard
- 70 in poor or unsatisfactory condition (67 poor, 3 unsatisfactory)
- 47 California dams are both high-hazard AND in poor/unsatisfactory condition
Data source: US Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (NID).
The 20 Tallest Dams in California
California is home to Oroville Dam, the tallest dam in the United States at 770 feet, along with several other major hydroelectric and flood-risk-reduction structures. All 20 of California’s tallest dams are classified as high hazard.
| Dam | Height | Year | Primary Purpose | Condition | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oroville | 770 ft | 1968 | Flood Risk Reduction | Fair | Butte |
| New Bullards Bar | 645 ft | 1970 | Hydroelectric | Satisfactory | Yuba |
| New Melones | 625 ft | 1979 | Hydroelectric | Not Available | Calaveras |
| Shasta | 602 ft | 1945 | Hydroelectric | Not Available | Shasta |
| Don Pedro Main | 585 ft | 1971 | Hydroelectric | Satisfactory | Tuolumne |
| Seven Oaks | 550 ft | 1999 | Flood Risk Reduction | Satisfactory | San Bernardino |
| Trinity | 538 ft | 1962 | Hydroelectric | Not Available | Trinity |
| Exchequer Main | 490 ft | 1966 | Hydroelectric | Fair | Mariposa |
| Union Valley | 455 ft | 1962 | Hydroelectric | Satisfactory | El Dorado |
| Pine Flat | 440 ft | 1954 | Flood Risk Reduction | Not Available | Fresno |
| Pyramid | 422 ft | 1974 | Water Supply | Fair | Los Angeles |
| Mammoth Pool | 411 ft | 1960 | Hydroelectric | Satisfactory | Madera |
| Hell Hole | 410 ft | 1966 | Irrigation | Fair | Placer |
| B.F. Sisk | 382 ft | 1967 | Hydroelectric | Not Available | Merced |
| San Gabriel | 381 ft | 1937 | Hydroelectric | Satisfactory | Los Angeles |
| Pacoima | 365 ft | 1929 | Flood Risk Reduction | Satisfactory | Los Angeles |
| Warm Springs | 356 ft | 1983 | Flood Risk Reduction | Not Available | Sonoma |
| Pardee | 352 ft | 1929 | Water Supply | Fair | Calaveras |
| Folsom | 340 ft | 1956 | Hydroelectric | Not Available | Sacramento |
| Castaic | 340 ft | 1973 | Water Supply | Poor | Los Angeles |
High-Hazard California Dams in Poor Condition
The most worrying category combines high hazard potential (failure would likely cause loss of life) with a Poor or Unsatisfactory condition assessment. California has 47 dams in this category. The tallest of them include:
- Castaic Dam (340 ft, Los Angeles County) — Water Supply, Poor condition
- Nacimiento (255 ft, Monterey County) — Hydroelectric, Poor
- Anderson (240 ft, Santa Clara County) — Water Supply, Unsatisfactory
- El Capitan (237 ft, San Diego County) — Water Supply, Poor
- Santa Felicia (213 ft, Ventura County) — Water Supply, Poor
- Morena (181 ft, San Diego County) — Water Supply, Poor, completed 1912
- Vermilion Valley (165 ft, Fresno County) — Hydroelectric, Poor
- Matilija (163 ft, Ventura County) — Other, Poor
Use the interactive US Dams map (national view) to compare California’s risk profile against other states.
Understanding California’s Dam Infrastructure
California’s dams serve purposes that reflect the state’s unique water challenges:
- Hydroelectric generation — the Sierra Nevada hosts a dense network of hydro dams including Oroville, Shasta, and Trinity
- Water supply — urban and agricultural water for 39 million residents and the Central Valley agricultural economy
- Flood risk reduction — especially in the Central Valley and Los Angeles Basin
- Irrigation — supporting one of the world’s largest agricultural regions
Oversight is split between the California Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) for state-regulated structures, the federal Bureau of Reclamation and US Army Corps of Engineers for federal projects, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for licensed hydropower dams.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dams are in California?
According to the National Inventory of Dams, California has 1,534 dams tracked by the US Army Corps of Engineers. 875 are classified as high hazard, 165 as significant hazard, and 493 as low hazard.
What is the tallest dam in California?
Oroville Dam in Butte County is the tallest dam in California — and the tallest dam in the United States — at 770 feet. Completed in 1968, it is primarily a flood-risk-reduction structure on the Feather River.
How many California dams are in poor condition?
70 California dams are currently assessed as being in Poor or Unsatisfactory condition by the National Inventory of Dams. Of those, 47 are also classified as high-hazard — meaning failure would likely cause loss of life.
What agency regulates dam safety in California?
The California Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD), part of the Department of Water Resources, oversees safety for state-jurisdictional dams. Federal dams are overseen by the Army Corps of Engineers or Bureau of Reclamation, and licensed hydroelectric dams by FERC.
What happened at Oroville Dam in 2017?
In February 2017, Oroville Dam’s main and emergency spillways suffered major erosion damage during a period of extreme inflow, prompting the evacuation of 188,000 downstream residents. The spillways were rebuilt between 2017 and 2019 at a cost exceeding $1.1 billion.
