Spring Valley Ranch dam
Spring Valley Ranch
Spring Valley Ranch is a privately owned dam located in Colfax, California, with a primary purpose of flood risk reduction. Constructed in 1958, this earth dam stands at 39 feet high and has a hydraulic height of 35 feet, providing a storage capacity of 60 acre-feet. The dam is regulated by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity.
Situated on Tr Campbell Creek, the Spring Valley Ranch dam plays a crucial role in mitigating flood risks in the area while also supporting irrigation and water supply needs. The dam has a high hazard potential but has been assessed as satisfactory in condition, with the most recent inspection in January 2021. With its strategic location and significant storage capacity, this dam serves as a key infrastructure for water resource management in Placer County.
Managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Spring Valley Ranch dam continues to play a vital role in safeguarding the surrounding communities from potential flooding events. With its satisfactory condition assessment and regular inspections, the dam stands as a testament to effective 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 Spring Valley Ranch -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Nf American R A North Fork Dam Ca | 389 cfs | → |
| Deer C Nr Smartville Ca | 34 cfs | → |
| Pilot C Bl Mutton Canyon Nr Georgetown Ca | 2 cfs | → |
| Bear R Nr Wheatland Ca | 40 cfs | → |
| Pilot C Ab Stumpy Meadows Res Ca | 3 cfs | → |
| N Yuba R Bl Goodyears Bar Ca | 421 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Spring Valley Ranch.
Boat launches
- Iowa Hill Road Placer County
- Oxbow Raft Put-In Site
- River Trail El Dorado County
- Rattlesnake Road Placer County
- Lake Spaulding Road 10260, Nevada City
- Rock Creek Road El Dorado County
Campgrounds
- Bear River County Park
- Mineral Bar - Auburn State Rec Area
- Nevada County Fairgrounds
- Rucky A Chucky - Auburn State Rec Area
- Giant Gap Campground
- Giant Gap
Fishing spots
- Lake Rollins
- Lake Of The Pines
- Lake Combie
- Lake Clementine
- Pg&E Rock Creek Lake Fishing Access
- Scotts Flat Lake
Track Spring Valley Ranch 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 Spring Valley Ranch
Where does the data for Spring Valley Ranch 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 Spring Valley Ranch.