Salt Springs dam
Salt Springs
Salt Springs is a privately owned hydroelectric dam located in Pioneer, California, along the North Fork Mokelumne River. Built in 1931, the dam stands at a height of 328 feet and has a storage capacity of 142,000 acre-feet. With a maximum discharge of 92,790 cubic feet per second, the dam is equipped with a controlled spillway and a series of outlet gates to manage water flow effectively.
Managed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Salt Springs has a high hazard potential and is regulated by the California Department of Water Resources for safety compliance. The dam's primary purpose is hydroelectric power generation, with a structural design of rockfill construction. Its location in Calaveras County, California, makes it a vital part of the region's water resource infrastructure, providing essential services while also posing risks that must be carefully managed and monitored.
Despite its age, Salt Springs has undergone regular inspections and maintenance, ensuring its structural integrity and operational efficiency. With a risk assessment rating of Very High, the dam remains a critical piece of California's water resource management infrastructure, serving both as a source of renewable energy and a potential area of concern for climate and water resource enthusiasts alike.
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 Salt Springs -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Truckee R At S Upper Truckee Rd Nr Meyers Ca | 4 cfs | → |
| Upper Truckee R At Hwy 50 Above Meyers Ca | 216 cfs | → |
| West Fork Carson River At Woodfords | 286 cfs | → |
| E F Carson R Bl Markleeville C Nr Markleevilleca | 1,110 cfs | → |
| Up Truckee R A South Lake Tahoe Ca | 213 cfs | → |
| Trout C Nr Tahoe Valley Ca | 52 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Salt Springs .
⚓ Boat launches
- Amador County
- Sly Park Road, Pollock Pines
- Junction Boat Ramp Road El Dorado County
- Summit Lake Trail Alpine County
- Indian Creek Camp Ground Day Use Area
- Forebay Road El Dorado County
⛺ Campgrounds
- Bear Group Campground
- White Azalea Campground
- Pardoes Point Campground
- South Shore
- Bear River South Shore Campground
- Pardoes Point
🎣 Fishing spots
- Salt Springs Reservoir
- Lower Bear River Reservoir
- Bear River Reservoir
- Highland Creek
- Silver Lake (Kirkwood)
- Hobart Creek
🛶 Paddle runs
- Salt Springs Reservoir Dam To To A Point 1 Mile West Of Bear River Confluence
- Boundary Of Mokelumne Archeologic Special Interest Area To Confluence With North Fork Mokelumne River
- Boundary Of Mokelumne Archeological Special Interest Area To Confluence With Mokelumne
- Boundary Of Mokelumne Archeological Special Interest Area To Confluence With North Fork Mokelumne
- Headwater In Sec 29, T9n,R16e To Confluence With Cat Creek
- Confluence With Cat Creek To One Mile East Of Pipi Campground
🛡 More reservoirs
More reservoirs →Track Salt Springs 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 Salt Springs
Where does the data for Salt Springs 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 Salt Springs .