Chesbro dam
Chesbro
Chesbro Dam, located in Rancho Murieta, California, is a vital water resource infrastructure owned by a Public Utility. Completed in 1972, this earth dam stands at 79 feet high with a hydraulic height of 75.9 feet, providing a storage capacity of 1250 acre-feet on the Tr Cosumnes River. With a surface area of 46 acres and a drainage area of 0.14 square miles, Chesbro Dam serves primarily for water supply purposes.
Maintained under the regulatory oversight of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), Safety of Dams division, Chesbro Dam has a high hazard potential but is currently in a satisfactory condition as per the last assessment in September 2017. The dam undergoes regular inspections, with the most recent conducted in February 2021, ensuring its structural integrity and safety. While there are no associated structures with the dam, its critical role in water supply management for the region underscores the importance of its continued maintenance and monitoring.
With its strategic location and crucial function in water supply management, Chesbro Dam stands as a key component of the water infrastructure in Sacramento County, California. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the efficient operation and maintenance of dams like Chesbro are essential for ensuring reliable water supply for the community. The collaboration between state regulatory agencies and dam owners remains crucial in enhancing the resilience of such infrastructure in the face of evolving climate challenges.
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 Chesbro -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cosumnes R A Michigan Bar Ca | 168 cfs | → |
| Deer C Nr Cameron Park Ca | 8 cfs | → |
| American R A Fair Oaks Ca | 1,920 cfs | → |
| Laguna C Nr Elk Grove Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| Arcade C Nr Del Paso Heights Ca | · | → |
| Dry C A Vernon St Bridge A Roseville Ca | 159 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Chesbro.
Boat launches
- Willow Creek Boat Ramp
- Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail, Gold River
- Lake Natoma Northern Boat Ramp
- Pennsylvania Avenue 3885, Fair Oaks
- Green Valley Road 661, El Dorado Hills
- Rossmoor Drive Rancho Cordova
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Sunrise Avenue To Watt Avenue
- Coloma To Greenwood - (C To G)
- Chili Bar
- South Fork American River
- The Gorge
- Mokelumne River
More reservoirs
Track Chesbro 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 Chesbro
Where does the data for Chesbro 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 Chesbro.