Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds dam
Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds
Situated in Kern County, California, the Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds are a private water resource facility that plays a crucial role in water supply management. Completed in 1984, this earth dam structure has a height of 18 feet and a length of 10,383 feet, with a storage capacity of 242 acre-feet. The primary purpose of the Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds is for tailings management and water supply, serving the local community and industries in Edwards Air Force Base.
Maintained by the California state regulatory agencies, including the Department of Water Resources and Safety of Dams, the Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds have a low hazard potential with satisfactory condition assessment. With regular inspections and enforcement mechanisms in place, the facility ensures operational safety and compliance with regulatory standards. The site's remote location, offstream from any rivers or streams, minimizes environmental impact while supporting water resource sustainability in the region.
Owned and operated by a private entity, the Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds are a vital component of the water infrastructure in California. With its strategic design and efficient water management practices, the facility contributes to the overall water supply resilience in the area. As a testament to its reliability and functionality, the Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds continue to serve the community while upholding high safety and regulatory standards.
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 Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mojave R A Lo Narrows Nr Victorville Ca | 9 cfs | → |
| Mojave R A Barstow Ca | · | → |
| Big Rock C Nr Valyermo Ca | 54 cfs | → |
| Sf Kern R Nr Onyx Ca | 121 cfs | → |
| Wf Mojave R Ab Mojave R Forks Res Nr Hesperia Ca | 9 cfs | → |
| Lone Pine C Nr Keenbrook Ca | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds.
Campgrounds
- Wasteland Weekend
- Edwards Afb Military
- Branch Park - Edwards Afb
- Rawhyde 2nd Location
- Saddleback Butte State Park
- Jawbone Canyon Dispersed Camping
Fishing spots
- Apollo Park Lake
- Mojave Narrows Regional Park Lake
- Elizabeth Lake
- Brite Valley Reservoir
- Hughes Lake
- Mt Baldy Trout Pools
Paddle runs
- Mainstream - Confluence With South Fork Little Rock Creek To Little Rock Creek Reservoir
- Mainstream - Headwaters To Confluence With Cooper Canyon
- Mainstream - Confluence With Cooper Canyon To Confluence Wit South Fork Little Rock Creek
- East Fork - Confluence Of Vincent Gulch And Prairie Fork (Nw 1/4, Sw 1/4 Sec 16 ) To Laurel Gulch (Nw 1/4, Sw 1/4, Sec 17, T2n, R8w)
- Green Valley At The Nf Boundary To Site Of St Francis Dam Disaster
- Cooper Canyon- Near State Highway 2 (Sw 1/4, Ne 1/4, Sec 16, T3n, R10w To Confluence With Little Rock Creek
Track Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds 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 Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds
Where does the data for Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds 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 Borax Solar Evaporation Ponds.