E. A. Wright dam
E. A. Wright
E. A. Wright is a privately owned earth dam located in Elk Creek, California, completed in 1950 for the primary purpose of water supply. The dam stands at a height of 38 feet with a hydraulic height of 29.5 feet and a length of 320 feet, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 400 acre-feet. Situated on a small creek, the dam serves irrigation and water supply needs in the region, with a drainage area of 3.54 square miles and a surface area of 27 acres.
Managed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) under the Safety of Dams program, E. A. Wright is subject to state regulations and inspections to ensure its safety and compliance. The dam has a significant hazard potential but has been assessed as satisfactory in condition, with the last inspection conducted in June 2020. While there are no associated structures or outlet gates, the dam is equipped with a spillway of unspecified type and width, indicating a level of preparedness for managing potential emergencies.
Located in Glenn County, E. A. Wright is a critical water resource infrastructure in the region, overseen by state authorities to uphold safety standards and ensure its operational readiness. With its historical significance dating back to the mid-20th century, the dam continues to play a vital role in providing water for agricultural and domestic use, highlighting the importance of sustainable water management practices 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 E. A. Wright -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Elder C Nr Paskenta Ca | 27 cfs | → |
| Nf Cache C A Hough Spring Nr Clearlake Oaks Ca | 31 cfs | → |
| Nf Cache C Nr Clearlake Oaks Ca | 236 cfs | → |
| Sacramento R A Colusa Ca | 7,390 cfs | → |
| Ef Russian R Nr Calpella Ca | 40 cfs | → |
| Mill C Nr Los Molinos Ca | 240 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near E. A. Wright.
Campgrounds
- Grimy Gulch - Stony Gorge Reservoir - Usbr
- Brownell Camp
- Orland Buttes - Black Butte Lake
- Board Tree Campground
- Upper Nye Camp
- Buckhorn - Black Butte Lake
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Headwaters In Sec 28, T18n, R8w To One-Third Mile Beyond Snow Mt. Wilderness Boundary At Private Property Boundary Near Paradise Creek
- Road 24n01 Crossing At The "Slab" To Nf Boundary
- Private Land In Sec 1, T21n, R9w To Confluence Of Cold Creek And Black Butte River
- Elk Creek
- North Fork Cache Creek
- Edan Creek Trib
More reservoirs
Track E. A. Wright 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 E. A. Wright
Where does the data for E. A. Wright 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 Significant 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 E. A. Wright.