Pine Creek Detention dam
Pine Creek Detention
Pine Creek Detention, located in Walnut Creek, California, is a gravity dam constructed in 1981 with a height of 30 feet and a hydraulic height of 23.7 feet. The dam serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction along Pine Creek, providing a storage capacity of 320 acre-feet. Despite its satisfactory condition assessment in 2017, the dam is classified as having a high hazard potential, emphasizing the critical role it plays in mitigating potential flooding risks in the region.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Safety of Dams division, Pine Creek Detention is subject to regular inspections and enforcement measures to ensure its continued safety and effectiveness in flood control. The dam's last inspection in October 2020 confirmed its satisfactory condition, highlighting the ongoing efforts to maintain its structural integrity and operational readiness. With a designated emergency action plan and hazard mitigation measures in place, Pine Creek Detention stands as a crucial infrastructure asset in safeguarding the surrounding community from potential flood events.
In the event of a breach or emergency situation, local authorities, emergency contacts, and risk management measures are in place to address and mitigate potential impacts. With a strong focus on safety and compliance, Pine Creek Detention serves as a vital component in the overall water resource management strategy for Contra Costa County, California. As climate change continues to pose challenges in water resource management, maintaining and enhancing the resilience of infrastructure like Pine Creek Detention is essential in protecting communities and ecosystems from the increasing risks of extreme weather events and flooding.
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 Pine Creek Detention -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| San Ramon C A San Ramon Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| Cull C Ab Cull C Res Nr Castro Valley Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| Crow C Nr Hayward Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| San Lorenzo C Ab Don Castro Res Nr Castro V Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| San Lorenzo C A Hayward Ca | 3 cfs | → |
| Alamo Cn Nr Pleasanton Ca | 4 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pine Creek Detention.
Boat launches
- Mcavoy Road 1099, Bay Point
- Doolittle Drive 7250, Oakland
- San Francisco Bay Trail, Oakland
- San Francisco Bay Trail, Berkeley
- Powell Street 3310, Emeryville
- Mckay Avenue 1200, Alameda
Campgrounds
- Boundary Group Camp
- Stagecoach Group Camp
- Bbq Terrace Horse Camp
- Wildcat Group Camp
- Live Oak Campground
- Mt. Diablo State Park
Fishing spots
- Lafayette Reservoir
- Contra Loma Reservoir
- San Pablo Reservoir
- City Of Benicia Fishing Pier
- Lake Temescal
- Chabot Lake
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Mouth
- Headwaters To Ends One Quarter Mile South Of Bear Valley Road Bridge Segment 1: Ends 1/4 Mile South Of Bear Valley Road Bridge Segment 2: Caltrans Corporation Yard At Point Reyes Staton.
- Olema Ranch Campground To Caltrans Corporation Yard At Point Reyes Station
More reservoirs
Track Pine Creek Detention 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 Pine Creek Detention
Where does the data for Pine Creek Detention 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 Pine Creek Detention.