Emery dam
Emery
Emery is a privately owned dam located in Calaveras, California, along McKinneys Creek. Built in 1850, this Earth dam stands at a height of 53 feet and has a storage capacity of 630 acre-feet, primarily serving the purpose of water supply. The dam's low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment make it a reliable infrastructure for water resource management in the region.
Managed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) under the Safety of Dams program, Emery is subject to regular inspections, permitting, and enforcement to ensure its safety and compliance with state regulations. With a drainage area of 0.62 square miles and a surface area of 30 acres, the dam plays a crucial role in water management within its vicinity, reflecting the historical significance of water infrastructure development in California.
Despite its age, Emery continues to fulfill its intended function effectively, contributing to the sustainable utilization of water resources in the area. As a key component of the local water supply system, the dam underscores the importance of maintaining and monitoring critical infrastructure to address the challenges posed by climate change and the increasing demand for water resources in the region.
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 Emery -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Black C Nr Copperopolis Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| Big C Ab Whites Gulch Nr Groveland Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| Cosumnes R A Michigan Bar Ca | 329 cfs | → |
| Deer C Nr Cameron Park Ca | 8 cfs | → |
| Cherry C Bl Valley Dam Nr Hetch Hetchy Ca | 144 cfs | → |
| Cherry C Bl Dion R Holm Ph | 1,590 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Emery.
Campgrounds
- Gold Strike Village Campers
- Calaveras Big Trees State Park
- Indian Grinding Rock State Park
- Indian Grinding Rock Campground
- Frogtown Rv Park
- Sly Guard Cabin
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Mokelumne River
- Confluence With North Fork And Middle Fork Stanislaus To Clark Flat
- Sandbar To Confluence With North Fork Stanislaus River
- Below Mckay's Reservoir To Confluence With Middle Fork Stanislaus River
More reservoirs
Track Emery 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 Emery
Where does the data for Emery 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 Low 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 Emery.