Ice House Main dam
Ice House Main
Ice House Main is a rockfill dam located in Coloma, California, with a height of 148 feet and a length of 1440 feet. Completed in 1959, the dam serves primarily for hydroelectric purposes, providing a normal storage capacity of 34,000 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 43,496 acre-feet. The dam, owned by a public utility, is regulated by the California Department of Water Resources and the Safety of Dams agency, ensuring regular inspections and enforcement of safety measures.
The dam's reservoir covers a surface area of 678 acres and has a drainage area of 27.2 square miles, with a controlled spillway width of 40 feet. Its maximum discharge capacity is 22,500 cubic feet per second, making it a crucial water resource in the region. The dam's hazard potential is rated as high, with a very high risk assessment category, indicating the importance of proper risk management measures and emergency action planning.
Managed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Ice House Main is a key component in the region's water infrastructure, providing not only hydroelectric power but also recreational opportunities for the local community. With its strategic location on the South Fork Silver Creek and its significant storage capacity, the dam plays a vital role in water resource management and climate resilience efforts in El Dorado County, 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 Ice House Main -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot C Ab Stumpy Meadows Res Ca | 3 cfs | → |
| Pilot C Bl Mutton Canyon Nr Georgetown Ca | 2 cfs | → |
| Upper Truckee R At Hwy 50 Above Meyers Ca | 188 cfs | → |
| Upper Truckee R At S Upper Truckee Rd Nr Meyers Ca | 4 cfs | → |
| General C Nr Meeks Bay Ca | 15 cfs | → |
| Up Truckee R A South Lake Tahoe Ca | 195 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ice House Main .
Boat launches
- Junction Boat Ramp Road El Dorado County
- Dry Lakes Trail El Dorado County
- Ice House Road El Dorado County
- Sly Park Road, Pollock Pines
- Poho Ridge El Dorado County
- Forebay Road El Dorado County
Campgrounds
- Ice House Campground
- Ice House
- Northwind Campground
- Northwind
- Silver Creek Group Campground
- Strawberry Point Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Ellicots Bridge To Big Grizzly Canyon
- Confluence With Van Horn Creek To Cosumnes Mine Road
- 1/4 Mile North Of State Highway 50 To Avalanche Lake
- State Highway 50 To 1/4 Mile North Of State Highway 50
- Cosumnes Mine Road To Confluence With Steely Fork Cosumnes River
- Headwatersa In Sec 18, T9n, R16e To Confluence With Van Horn Creek
More reservoirs
Track Ice House Main 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 Ice House Main
Where does the data for Ice House Main 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 Ice House Main .