Castaic dam
Castaic
Castaic, located in Los Angeles County, California, is a state-regulated dam on Castaic Creek with a primary purpose of water supply. Completed in 1973, this earth-type dam stands at 340 feet in height and has a storage capacity of 323,700 acre-feet. The dam also serves multiple purposes including irrigation and recreation, making it a vital resource for the region.
Despite its significant storage capacity, Castaic Dam has a high hazard potential and a poor condition assessment as of August 2021. The dam's last inspection in October 2021 revealed the need for improvements to ensure its safety and functionality. With the dam being state-regulated and inspected regularly, efforts are likely being made to address any potential risks and enhance the dam's overall condition.
Castaic Dam plays a crucial role in water supply management for the area, and its importance cannot be understated. With ongoing assessments and potential risk management measures in place, the dam continues to be a key asset in maintaining water resources and ensuring the safety of surrounding communities in the face of changing climate conditions.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Castaic -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Piru Creek Above Lake Piru Ca | 33 cfs | → |
| Piru Creek Below Santa Felicia Dam Ca | 53 cfs | → |
| Piru C Ab Frenchmans Flat Ca | 16 cfs | → |
| Santa Clara R Nr Piru Ca | 76 cfs | → |
| Sespe C Nr Fillmore | 49 cfs | → |
| Big Tujunga C Bl Hansen Dam Ca | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Castaic.
Boat launches
- Lake Hughes Road Castaic
- Piru Canyon Road 4780, Castaic
- Interstate 5, Lebec
- Vacquero Boating And Picnic Site
- Vista Del Lago Road 21, Lebec
- Pyramid Lake Road, Lebec
Campgrounds
- Castaic Lake
- Cienaga Campground
- Lake Piru State Rec Area
- Streamside
- Group Campground 1
- Group Campground 2
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Site Of St Francis Dam Disaster To Seco Canyon At The Nf Boundary
- Lower Piru Creek (Oulet At Pyramid Reservoir) To Piru Reservoir
- Green Valley At The Nf Boundary To Site Of St Francis Dam Disaster
- Castaic To Pyramid Reservoir
- Confluence With Gold Hill Creek To Castaic
- Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Gold Hill Creek
More reservoirs
Track Castaic in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Castaic
Where does the data for Castaic come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Castaic.