Palisades Reservoir dam
Palisades Reservoir
Palisades Reservoir, located in Capistrano Beach, California, is a crucial water supply source with a primary purpose of providing water to the surrounding area. The reservoir, completed in 1963, stands at a height of 146 feet and has a storage capacity of 147 acre-feet. Its earth dam stretches 620 feet in length and is regulated by the California Department of Water Resources for safety and inspection.
Despite its satisfactory condition assessment, Palisades Reservoir presents a high hazard potential due to its hydraulic height of 140 feet. The dam is situated on the Prima Deschecha river and serves as a vital resource for water management in the region. With a drainage area of 0.03 square miles and a surface area of 6 acres, the reservoir plays a significant role in regulating water flow and supply.
With its strategic location and essential role in water supply, Palisades Reservoir serves as a critical infrastructure for water resource management in California. As climate change continues to impact water availability and quality, the reservoir's operation and maintenance will be crucial in ensuring a sustainable water supply for the surrounding communities.
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 Palisades Reservoir -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Arroyo Trabuco A San Juan Capistrano Ca | 3 cfs | → |
| Cristianitos C Ab San Mateo C Nr San Clemente Ca | · | → |
| San Onofre C A San Onofre Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| San Mateo C Nr San Clemente Ca | 166 cfs | → |
| Agua Chinon Wash Nr Irvine Ca | · | → |
| Las Flores C Nr Oceanside Ca | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Palisades Reservoir.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Doheny State Beach
- San Clemente State Beach
- San Mateo - San Onofre State Beach
- San Onofre Beach Military
- Live Oak - Caspers Wilderness Co Park
- Caspers Wilderness Park
Fishing spots
- Laguna Niguel Lake
- Elsinore Lake
- Irvine Lake (Santiago Res)
- Lake Elsinore
- Corona Lake
- Encino Public Fishing Area
Paddle runs
- Devil Canyon Tributary To San Mateo Creek
- San Mateo Wilderness Boundary To Nf Boundary With Camp Pendleton
- Santa Margarita River
- Confluence Of Fry And Iron Spring Creeks (E1/2, Sec 3, T10s,R1e To Se1/4 Sec 16, T10s, R2e
- Forest Boundary, Above Zoo Creek Below Spillway (S1/2, Sec 3, T11s, R2e) To La Jolla Indian Reservation Boundary (N1/2, Sec 31, T10s, R2e)
Track Palisades Reservoir 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 Palisades Reservoir
Where does the data for Palisades Reservoir 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 Palisades Reservoir.