Las Tablas Creek dam
Las Tablas Creek
Las Tablas Creek in San Luis Obispo, California, is a significant earth dam completed in 1961 for flood risk reduction, irrigation, and water supply purposes. Owned privately, the dam stands at a height of 39.8 feet with a hydraulic height of 23.5 feet, serving to store 180 acre-feet of water in its reservoir. With a drainage area of 31 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region.
Maintained by the California Department of Water Resources and the Safety of Dams, Las Tablas Creek Dam has a low hazard potential and is deemed to be in satisfactory condition. The dam's primary purpose of flood risk reduction underscores its importance in mitigating potential water-related disasters in the area. Despite its age, the dam continues to be inspected regularly, with the last assessment conducted in November 2020, ensuring its operational efficiency and safety.
Located within the San Francisco District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Las Tablas Creek Dam contributes to the overall water management infrastructure in California. Its strategic position along the Las Tablas Creek not only supports irrigation and water supply activities but also highlights the essential role of dams 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 Las Tablas Creek -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Nacimiento R Bl Nacimiento Dam Nr Bradley Ca | 264 cfs | → |
| Nacimiento R Bl Sapaque C Nr Bryson Ca | 2 cfs | → |
| Salinas R A Paso Robles Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| San Antonio R Nr Lockwood Ca | · | → |
| Estrella R Nr Estrella Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| Salinas R Nr Bradley Ca | 367 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Las Tablas Creek.
Boat launches
- Village Road San Luis Obispo County
- Saddle Way San Luis Obispo County
- Resort Drive, Paso Robles
- Mistletoe Lane San Luis Obispo County
- Resort Drive San Luis Obispo County
- Well Road San Luis Obispo County
Campgrounds
- Camp Natoma
- Quails Roost Campground
- Oak Knoll Campground
- Pine Knoll Campground
- Eagles Ridge Campground
- Lake Nacimiento
Fishing spots
- Nacimiento Lake
- Lake Nacimiento
- Lake San Antonio
- Whale Rock Reservoir
- Barney Schwartz Park Lake
- Franklin Hot Springs
Paddle runs
- San Benito River
- Headwaters To Sportsman's Club
- Ventana Wilderness Boundary To Nf Boundary
- Picacho Creek
- White Creek
- Clear Creek
More reservoirs
Track Las Tablas Creek 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 Las Tablas Creek
Where does the data for Las Tablas Creek 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 Low 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 Las Tablas Creek.