White Pines dam
White Pines
White Pines is a local government-owned dam located in Fourth Crossing, Calaveras County, California. Completed in 1970, this earth dam stands at a height of 35 feet and serves primarily for water supply purposes, with a storage capacity of 262 acre-feet. The dam is regulated by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) under the Safety of Dams program, ensuring its compliance with state regulations and regular inspections to maintain its satisfactory condition.
Situated on the San Antonio Creek, White Pines plays a crucial role in providing water for both recreational activities and domestic use in the area. With a low hazard potential and a satisfactory condition assessment, the dam is deemed safe and reliable for its intended purposes. Despite its modest size, the dam's strategic location and functionality highlight its significance in water resource management within the region. Water resource and climate enthusiasts would find White Pines to be an interesting case study in sustainable water infrastructure development and management.
As a key component of the water supply infrastructure in Calaveras County, White Pines serves as a vital link in the local water distribution network. Its successful operation and maintenance demonstrate the importance of state-regulated dam facilities in ensuring water security for communities. For those interested in water resource management and climate resilience, White Pines showcases the essential role of earth dams in sustaining water supply and recreational activities in California's diverse landscape.
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 White Pines -- 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 | → |
| Cherry C Bl Valley Dam Nr Hetch Hetchy Ca | 144 cfs | → |
| Lk Eleanor Div To Cherry Lake Nr Hetch Hetchy Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| Eleanor C Nr Hetch Hetchy Ca | 440 cfs | → |
| Cherry C Bl Dion R Holm Ph | 1,720 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near White Pines.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Calaveras Big Trees State Park
- Boards Crossing
- Wakalu Hep Yo (Wild River) Campground
- Wa Ka Luu Hep Yoo (Wild River) Campground
- Wa Ka Luu Hep Yoo
- Sly Guard Cabin
Fishing spots
- Highland Creek
- Salt Springs Reservoir
- Lake Tabeaud
- Lower Bear River Reservoir
- New Melones Lake
- Pinecrest Lake
Paddle runs
- One Mile Downstream Of State Park Boundary In Sec 24, T5n, R15e To Mckay's Reservoir
- Below Mckay's Reservoir To Confluence With Middle Fork Stanislaus River
- Calaveras Big Trees State Park Boundary In Sec 24, T5n, R15e To One Mile Downstream Of State Park Boundary In Sec 24, T5n, R15e
- One-Quarter Mile Downstream Of Forest Road 5n75 Bridge Crossing To Calaveras Big Trees State Park Boundary In Sec 24, T5n, R15e
- One-Quarter Mile Upstream Of Forest Road 5no2 Bridge Crossing To One-Quarter Mile Downstream Of Forest Road 5n75 Bridge Crossing
- Sandbar To Confluence With North Fork Stanislaus River
Track White Pines 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 White Pines
Where does the data for White Pines 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 White Pines.