Scotts Flat dam
Scotts Flat
Scotts Flat, located in Nevada City, California, is a public utility water resource managed by Ebasco Services, Inc. The dam, completed in 1948, stands at a height of 175 feet and serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock, small fish pond, hydroelectric, and irrigation. The reservoir has a normal storage capacity of 49,000 acre-feet, with a surface area of 725 acres and a drainage area of 20 square miles. The dam is primarily of earth type construction with a stone core and rock foundation.
The dam is regulated and inspected by the California Department of Water Resources and the Safety of Dams authority. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and is located along Deer Creek. The hazard potential is considered high, with a moderate risk assessment rating of 3. The Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for the dam was last revised in December 2020. Despite the lack of available condition assessment data, the dam is regularly inspected for safety and compliance.
Scotts Flat provides essential water resources for the surrounding area, contributing to fire protection, agricultural irrigation, and hydroelectric power generation. The dam's location and design make it a key asset in managing water supply and mitigating flood risks in the region. Enthusiasts interested in water resource management and climate resilience will find Scotts Flat an intriguing example of infrastructure that plays a vital role in sustaining both ecosystems and human communities 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 Scotts Flat -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| N Yuba R Bl Goodyears Bar Ca | 663 cfs | → |
| Deer C Nr Smartville Ca | 59 cfs | → |
| Nf American R A North Fork Dam Ca | 773 cfs | → |
| Pilot C Bl Mutton Canyon Nr Georgetown Ca | 2 cfs | → |
| Bear R Nr Wheatland Ca | 328 cfs | → |
| Yuba R Nr Marysville Ca | 1,850 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Scotts Flat .
⚓ Boat launches
- Iowa Hill Road Placer County
- Fuller Lake Boating Site
- Lake Spaulding Road 10260, Nevada City
- Smokey Lane 44-50, Alleghany
- Oxbow Raft Put-In Site
- Yuba County
⛺ Campgrounds
- Rock Creek Mill Site
- South Yuba Primitive Camp
- South Yuba
- White Cloud
- White Cloud Campground
- Environmental Camp
🎣 Fishing spots
More fishing →🛶 Paddle runs
- One-Half Mile West Of Confluence With Fall Creek To Confluence With Jefferson Creek
- Chamberlain Falls (Iowa Hill To Yankee Jim)
- Langs Crossing Bridge To One-Half Mile West Of Confluence With Fall Creek (Boundary Of Nf And Private Land)
- Confluence With Jefferson Creek To Confluence With Kentucky Creek
- Yankee Jim Road To Ponderosa Way (Shirttail)
- Headwaters Of North Yuba River (Sec 10, T20n, R13 E) To One-Eighth Mile Downstream Of Confluence With Cherokee Creek
Track Scotts Flat 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 Scotts Flat
Where does the data for Scotts Flat 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 Scotts Flat .