Friant dam
Friant
Friant, also known as Millerton Lake, is a federal-owned water resource located in Fresno, California. The dam, completed in 1942, stands at a height of 299 feet and serves multiple purposes including flood risk reduction, irrigation, recreation, and water supply. With a maximum storage capacity of 555,500 acre-feet and a normal storage of 520,500 acre-feet, Friant plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region.
Situated on the San Joaquin River, Friant covers an impressive surface area of 4,900 acres and has a drainage area of 1,633 square miles. The dam is primarily managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees its operations, inspections, and regulatory matters. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is currently marked as "Not Available," highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its safety and effectiveness in mitigating flood risks and supporting water supply needs in the area.
Overall, Friant represents a vital infrastructure project in California, providing essential water management services for irrigation, recreation, and flood risk reduction. As climate change continues to impact water resources in the region, the importance of maintaining and optimizing the dam's functionality becomes increasingly critical to ensure water security and resilience for the surrounding communities. With its rich history and significant role in water resource management, Friant remains a key asset in the state's efforts to adapt to changing climate conditions and ensure sustainable water management practices for the future.
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 Friant -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| San Joaquin R Bl Friant Ca | 520 cfs | → |
| Nf Willow C Nr Sugar Pine Ca | 416 cfs | → |
| Big C Div Nr Fish Camp Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| San Joaquin R Nr Mendota Ca | 149 cfs | → |
| Merced R A Pohono Bridge Nr Yosemite Ca | 2,040 cfs | → |
| Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge Nr Yosemite Ca | 1,730 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Friant.
⚓ Boat launches
- San Joaquin River Trail, Friant
- Madera County
- Redinger Boating Site
- Road 29 Madera County
- County Road 29 Madera County
- North Piedra Road 3140, Sanger
⛺ Campgrounds
- Dumma Strand Loop Camp Ground (73-84)
- Millerton Lake State Rec Area
- Hidden View
- Hidden View Campground
- Pg&E Campground
- Smalley Cove
🎣 Fishing spots
More fishing →🛶 Paddle runs
- Confluence With North Fork San Joaquin River To Hells Half Acre
- Blarney Meadows To South End Of Florence Lake
- Cora Creek To Confluence With San Joaquin River
- Rainbow Falls To Confluence With North Fork San Joaquin River
- Hot Springs Area To West End Of Blarney River
- Hemlock Crossing To Confluence With Cora Creek
Track Friant 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 Friant
Where does the data for Friant 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 Friant.