East Park dam
East Park
East Park is a historic concrete dam located in Colusa County, California, specifically in the city of Elk Creek. Built in 1910 by the Bureau of Reclamation, this dam is primarily used for irrigation purposes, with a storage capacity of 54,300 acre-feet and a surface area of 1,820 acres. The dam stands at a height of 139 feet and has a spillway width of 414 feet, allowing for a maximum discharge of 9,200 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, East Park is situated on the Little Stony Creek and serves as a vital water resource for the region. Along with irrigation, the dam also supports recreational activities and provides water supply to the surrounding areas. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam is regularly inspected by the Bureau of Reclamation to ensure its safety and functionality, with the last inspection conducted in June 2020. The risk assessment for East Park is moderate, indicating a level 3 risk rating.
Enthusiasts of water resources and climate in California will find East Park to be a fascinating engineering marvel that plays a crucial role in water management in the region. With its long history dating back over a century, this concrete dam continues to serve as a key infrastructure for irrigation and water supply, highlighting the importance of sustainable water resource management in the face of changing climate conditions. As a significant feature on the landscape of Colusa County, East Park stands as a testament to the ingenuity and foresight of early water resource developers in California.
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 East Park -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Nf Cache C A Hough Spring Nr Clearlake Oaks Ca | 31 cfs | → |
| Nf Cache C Nr Clearlake Oaks Ca | 73 cfs | → |
| Sacramento R A Colusa Ca | 6,530 cfs | → |
| Bear C Ab Holsten Chimney Cyn Nr Rumsey Ca | 20 cfs | → |
| Cache C Nr Lower Lake Ca | 638 cfs | → |
| Ef Russian R Nr Calpella Ca | 42 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near East Park.
Boat launches
- Walker Ridge Road Lake County
- Lucerne Harbor Park
- Island Drive Lake County
- Lake County
- Biggs-Willows Road 1947, Princeton
- Ball Park Avenue 14775, Clearlake
Campgrounds
- East Park Reservoir - Usbr
- Little Stony
- Little Stony Campground
- Grey Pine
- Fouts
- Gray Pine Group Campground
Fishing spots
Track East 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 East Park
Where does the data for East 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 East Park.