Hartzell dam
Hartzell
Hartzell is a significant earth dam located in Atascadero, California, along the Santa Rita Creek. Built in 1965, this privately-owned structure serves multiple purposes including irrigation, recreation, and water supply with a storage capacity of 300 acre-feet. With a height of 50 feet and a hydraulic height of 42 feet, Hartzell plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region.
Managed and regulated by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) under the Safety of Dams program, Hartzell is inspected regularly to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The dam has been assessed to be in satisfactory condition as of September 2017, with a significant hazard potential due to its location and purpose. Despite its age, Hartzell continues to meet the water supply needs of the area and provides essential support for irrigation and recreational activities.
With a drainage area of 3.85 square miles and a surface area of 30 acres, Hartzell is a vital component of the water infrastructure in San Luis Obispo County. The dam's proximity to Atascadero and its role in the local ecosystem make it a key focus for water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in understanding the dynamics of water supply and management 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 Hartzell -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Salinas R A Paso Robles Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| Nacimiento R Bl Nacimiento Dam Nr Bradley Ca | 264 cfs | → |
| Estrella R Nr Estrella Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| Nacimiento R Bl Sapaque C Nr Bryson Ca | 2 cfs | → |
| Salinas R Nr Bradley Ca | 367 cfs | → |
| Lopez C Nr Arroyo Grande Ca | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hartzell.
Boat launches
- Village Road San Luis Obispo County
- Resort Drive, Paso Robles
- Resort Drive San Luis Obispo County
- Saddle Way San Luis Obispo County
- Mistletoe Lane San Luis Obispo County
- Well Road San Luis Obispo County
Campgrounds
- Morro Strand State Beach
- Cerro Alto
- Cerro Alto Campground
- Camp Natoma
- Morro Bay State Park
- El Chorro Regional Park
Fishing spots
- Whale Rock Reservoir
- Atascadero Lake
- Franklin Hot Springs
- Barney Schwartz Park Lake
- Nacimiento Lake
- Lake Nacimiento
More reservoirs
Track Hartzell 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 Hartzell
Where does the data for Hartzell 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 Significant 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 Hartzell.