Villa Park dam
Villa Park
Villa Park, located in Orange County, California, is home to a remarkable Earth-type dam constructed in 1963 along the Santiago Creek. This flood risk reduction structure stands at 118 feet tall, with a hydraulic height of 99.7 feet and a length of 1475 feet. The dam provides a maximum storage capacity of 15,600 acre-feet, helping to protect the surrounding area from potential flooding events.
Managed by the local government, Villa Park Dam is regulated and inspected by the California Department of Water Resources for safety and enforcement. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment remains satisfactory, ensuring its effectiveness in mitigating flood risks in the region. The last inspection in April 2020 confirmed its structural integrity, with an inspection frequency of once per year to ensure continued safety and functionality.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Villa Park Dam serves as a critical infrastructure piece in maintaining flood risk reduction along the Santiago Creek. With its significant storage capacity, structural height, and satisfactory condition, the dam plays a crucial role in protecting the surrounding area from potential inundation. As a key feature in the local landscape, the Villa Park Dam stands as a testament to effective water management practices and the importance of infrastructure resilience 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 Villa Park -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Santiago C A Santa Ana Ca | · | → |
| Carbon C Bl Carbon Cyn Dam Ca | · | → |
| Santa Ana R Bl Prado Dam Ca | 107 cfs | → |
| Fullerton C Bl Fullerton Dam Nr Brea Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| Santa Ana R A Santa Ana Ca | · | → |
| Agua Chinon Wash Nr Irvine Ca | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Villa Park.
⚓ Boat launches
More boat launches →⛺ Campgrounds
- Chino Hills - State Park
- Prado Regional Park
- Oso Lake Scout Camp
- Oneill Regional Park
- Deer Canyon Campground
- Upper Moro Campground
🎣 Fishing spots
- Irvine Lake (Santiago Res)
- Santa Ana River Lakes
- Anaheim Lake
- Tri-City Park Lake
- Prado Regional Park, El Lake
- Laguna Lake
🛶 Paddle runs
- San Mateo Wilderness Boundary To Nf Boundary With Camp Pendleton
- Laurel Gulch To Confluence With Mineo Canyon (Se 1/4, Sw 1/4, Sec 17, T2n, R8w)
- Gaging Station Below Spillway Of Cogswell Dam (Ne 1/4, Se 1/4, Sec 19, T2n, R10w) To Confluence With Nf San Gabriel River (Sw 1/4.Sw 1/4, Sec 15, T2n, R9w)
- Middle Fork - Commanche Campsite To Middle Fork Trailhead
- North Fork - Confluence Of Soldier And Coldbrook Creeks (Se1/4,Sw1/4, Sec) 5, T2n,,R9w To Conflluence With West Fork Of San Gabriel (Sw 1/4,Sw1/4, Sec 17, T2n, R8w)
- Devil Canyon Tributary To San Mateo Creek
Track Villa Park 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 Villa Park
Where does the data for Villa Park 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 Villa Park.