Pine Flat Dam dam
Pine Flat Dam
Pine Flat Dam, also known as Pine Flat Lake, is a gravity dam located in Sanger, California, along the Kings River. Completed in 1954 by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the dam primarily serves flood risk reduction, hydroelectric power generation, irrigation, and recreation purposes. Standing at 412 feet tall with a structural height of 440 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of up to 1,091,700 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 391,000 cubic feet per second.
With a Hazard Potential rating of High, Pine Flat Dam is continuously monitored and managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers to mitigate flood risks. The dam's emergency action plan is regularly updated, and risk management measures are implemented to ensure the structural integrity of the dam and the safety of the surrounding communities. Despite its flood risk reduction capabilities, the dam has limited capacity to store water, and releases may be necessary to manage water levels and prevent structural issues during severe weather events. Overall, Pine Flat Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management and climate resilience efforts 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 Pine Flat Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| San Joaquin R Bl Friant Ca | 520 cfs | → |
| Marble Fork Kaweah R Ab Horse C Nr Lodgepole Ca | 133 cfs | → |
| Nf Willow C Nr Sugar Pine Ca | 416 cfs | → |
| Big C Div Nr Fish Camp Ca | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pine Flat Dam.
⚓ Boat launches
- Sunnyslope Road 30796, Sanger
- North Piedra Road 3140, Sanger
- Redinger Boating Site
- San Joaquin River Trail, Friant
- Sandy Cove Road Fresno County
- Hume Lake Boat Launch (East Dam)
⛺ Campgrounds
- Pine Flat Rec Area
- Island Park Group Site
- Choinumni Park (County)
- Choinumni
- Island Park - Pine Flat Lake
- Trimmer - Pine Flat Lake
🎣 Fishing spots
- Kings River, Below Pine Flat Reservoir
- Pine Flat Lake
- Avocado Lake
- Dinkey Meadow Creek
- Shaver Lake
- Millerton Lake
🛶 Paddle runs
- Blarney Meadows To South End Of Florence Lake
- Hot Springs Area To West End Of Blarney River
- Outlet Of Martha Lake (Boundary Extend 0.25 Mile On Each Side Of River) To Northwestern Boundary Of Kings Canyon National Park
- Northwest Boundary Of Nf/Kings Canyon Np To Hot Springs Area
- Wilderness Boundary Just Below Tokopah Falls (Boundary Extend 0.25 Mile On Each Side Of River) To Confluence With The Middle Fork Kaweah River
- Wilderness Boundary (Boundary Extend 0.25 Mile On Each Side Of River) To Boundary Of Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
🛡 More reservoirs
More reservoirs →Track Pine Flat Dam 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 Pine Flat Dam
Where does the data for Pine Flat Dam 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 Pine Flat Dam.