Alluvial Drain Detention dam
Alluvial Drain Detention
Alluvial Drain Detention, located in Clovis, California, is a crucial infrastructure owned by a public utility aimed at reducing flood risks along the Tr Big Dry Creek. Completed in 1994, this earth dam stands at 12 feet high with a hydraulic height of 8.4 feet, providing a storage capacity of 832.7 acre-feet across its 67.5-acre surface area. With a drainage area of 2.97 square miles, this detention structure plays a vital role in flood risk reduction efforts in Fresno County.
Managed and regulated by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and Safety of Dams program, Alluvial Drain Detention is subject to regular inspections to ensure its satisfactory condition and high hazard potential are adequately addressed. Despite its high hazard classification, the dam's condition was last assessed as satisfactory in September 2017, with the most recent inspection conducted in February 2021. As a critical component of the state's flood risk reduction strategy, Alluvial Drain Detention plays a significant role in safeguarding the local community from potential inundation events.
With its strategic location and effective design, Alluvial Drain Detention serves as a key flood risk reduction infrastructure in California's water resource management system. As a vital earth dam structure along Tr Big Dry Creek, this facility exemplifies the state's commitment to ensuring public safety and mitigating the impacts of flooding in Fresno County. Through ongoing regulatory oversight and regular inspections, Alluvial Drain Detention remains a resilient and essential asset in the state's efforts to protect communities and infrastructure from the threat of inundation.
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 Alluvial Drain Detention -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| San Joaquin R Bl Friant Ca | 452 cfs | → |
| Nf Willow C Nr Sugar Pine Ca | 416 cfs | → |
| San Joaquin R Nr Mendota Ca | 149 cfs | → |
| Big C Div Nr Fish Camp Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| Cantua C Nr Cantua Creek Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| Panoche C A I-5 Nr Silver Creek Ca | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Alluvial Drain Detention.
Boat launches
- San Joaquin River Trail, Friant
- North Piedra Road 3140, Sanger
- Sunnyslope Road 30796, Sanger
- Madera County
- Redinger Boating Site
- Road 29 Madera County
Campgrounds
- Dumma Strand Loop Camp Ground (73-84)
- Millerton Lake State Rec Area
- Choinumni
- Choinumni Park (County)
- Pine Flat Rec Area
- Island Park Group Site
Fishing spots
- Millerton Lake
- Avocado Lake
- Kings River, Below Pine Flat Reservoir
- Hensley Lake
- Pine Flat Lake
- Manzanita Lake
Paddle runs
- Confluence With North Fork San Joaquin River To Hells Half Acre
- Blarney Meadows To South End Of Florence Lake
- Hot Springs Area To West End Of Blarney River
- Northwest Boundary Of Nf/Kings Canyon Np To Hot Springs Area
- Outlet Of Martha Lake (Boundary Extend 0.25 Mile On Each Side Of River) To Northwestern Boundary Of Kings Canyon National Park
- Rainbow Falls To Confluence With North Fork San Joaquin River
Track Alluvial Drain Detention 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 Alluvial Drain Detention
Where does the data for Alluvial Drain Detention 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 Alluvial Drain Detention.