Lower Stehly dam
Lower Stehly
Lower Stehly is a private dam located in Valley Center, California, along Tr Keys Creek. This Earth-type dam stands at 60 feet high with a hydraulic height of 52.9 feet, serving primarily for irrigation and water supply purposes. With a storage capacity of 287 acre-feet, it plays a crucial role in the water management system of the region.
Managed by the California Department of Water Resources and under state regulation, Lower Stehly has a high hazard potential but is deemed to be in satisfactory condition as of the last assessment in September 2017. The dam undergoes regular inspections, with the most recent one conducted in February 2021. Despite its age, the dam continues to play a vital role in the local water supply infrastructure.
Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find Lower Stehly to be an intriguing structure, contributing to the water supply and irrigation needs of San Diego County. As a privately owned dam with state oversight, it showcases the importance of infrastructure maintenance and monitoring in ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources 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 Lower Stehly -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rainbow C Nr Fallbrook Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| Santa Margarita R Nr Temecula Ca | 4 cfs | → |
| Santa Margarita R A Fpud Sump Nr Fallbrook Ca | 7 cfs | → |
| Temecula C Nr Aguanga Ca | · | → |
| Sandia C Nr Fallbrook Ca | 2 cfs | → |
| Guejito C Nr San Pasqual Ca | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lower Stehly.
Boat launches
- Vail Lake Boat Ramp
- Lake Hodges Boat Launching Area
- Highway 76 26439, Santa Ysabel
- Warren Road 37701, Temecula
- Sutherland Dam Road 21568-21722, Ramona
- Lake Miramar
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Confluence Of Fry And Iron Spring Creeks (E1/2, Sec 3, T10s,R1e To Se1/4 Sec 16, T10s, R2e
- Santa Margarita River
- 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)
- Devil Canyon Tributary To San Mateo Creek
- San Mateo Wilderness Boundary To Nf Boundary With Camp Pendleton
More reservoirs
Track Lower Stehly 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 Lower Stehly
Where does the data for Lower Stehly 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 Lower Stehly.