Carbon Canyon Dam dam
Carbon Canyon Dam
Carbon Canyon Dam, also known as Carbon Canyon Reservoir, is located in Orange County, California, and is owned and managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Completed in 1961, the dam serves as a critical flood risk reduction structure along Carbon Canyon Creek, with a height of 99 feet and a storage capacity of 12,063 acre-feet. The dam's primary purpose is flood risk reduction, with additional benefits for recreation.
Despite its importance in mitigating flood risks, the dam has been classified as high risk due to potential internal erosion of the embankment along the outlet conduit and wastewater line. The US Army Corps of Engineers has implemented various risk management measures, including regular inspections, monitoring, maintenance, and emergency preparedness efforts to reduce the risk to downstream communities such as Brea, Yorba Linda, Fullerton, Placentia, and Anaheim. Future plans include a Dam Safety Modification Study to address erosion concerns and enhance the dam's safety and resilience. Carbon Canyon Dam serves as a crucial infrastructure safeguarding the surrounding communities and highlights the ongoing efforts to ensure its stability and effectiveness in the face of potential hazards.
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 Carbon Canyon Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon C Bl Carbon Cyn Dam Ca | · | → |
| Fullerton C Bl Fullerton Dam Nr Brea Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| Brea C Bl Brea Dam Nr Fullerton Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| Chino C A Schaefer Avenue Nr Chino Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| San Antonio C A Riverside Dr Nr Chino Ca | · | → |
| Santiago C A Santa Ana Ca | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Carbon Canyon Dam.
⚓ Boat launches
More boat launches →⛺ Campgrounds
- Chino Hills - State Park
- Prado Regional Park
- Bohelli Regional Park
- Los Alamitos Army Military
- Dad's Camping
- Big Dalton Campground
🎣 Fishing spots
- Tri-City Park Lake
- Anaheim Lake
- Santa Ana River Lakes
- Laguna Lake
- Prado Regional Park, El Lake
- Irvine Lake (Santiago Res)
🛶 Paddle runs
- Gaging Station Below Spillway Of Cogswell Dam (Ne 1/4, Se 1/4, Sec 19, T2n, R10w) To Confluence With Nf San Gabriel River (Sw 1/4.Sw 1/4, Sec 15, T2n, R9w)
- Laurel Gulch To Confluence With Mineo Canyon (Se 1/4, Sw 1/4, Sec 17, T2n, R8w)
- North Fork - Confluence Of Soldier And Coldbrook Creeks (Se1/4,Sw1/4, Sec) 5, T2n,,R9w To Conflluence With West Fork Of San Gabriel (Sw 1/4,Sw1/4, Sec 17, T2n, R8w)
- West Fork - Headwaters (Se 1/4, Ne 1/4, Sec 14, T2n, R12w) To Cogswell Reservoir (Ne 1/4, Sw 1/4, Sec 24, T2n, R9w
- Middle Fork - Commanche Campsite To Middle Fork Trailhead
- East Fork - Confluence Of Vincent Gulch And Prairie Fork (Nw 1/4, Sw 1/4 Sec 16 ) To Laurel Gulch (Nw 1/4, Sw 1/4, Sec 17, T2n, R8w)
Track Carbon Canyon Dam 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 Carbon Canyon Dam
Where does the data for Carbon Canyon Dam 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 Carbon Canyon Dam.