Matilija Dam reservoir
Matilija Dam
Matilija Dam is a structure located in Ventura County, California. It was built in 1948 primarily to control floods and provide water for agriculture, domestic, and industrial purposes. The dam is 200 feet high and 530 feet wide and has a storage capacity of 7,000 acre-feet. The Matilija Creek watershed covers 114 square miles and is an important source of surface flow and snowpack providers for the surrounding areas. The dam has been a topic of controversy due to the significant amount of sediment build-up behind it and the negative impact on the environment and fish populations. The dam is currently being considered for removal or modification to restore the natural flow of the creek and allow for the revitalization of the ecosystem. The area around the dam is a popular recreational site for hiking, fishing, and camping.
Daily levels at Matilija Dam
Storage volume, pool elevation, and total release plotted from the operating agency's daily observations.
Storage
acre-ft · code 2
Pool Elevation
ft · code 1
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 Matilija Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Matilija C Nr Res Nr Matilija Hot Springs Ca | 2 cfs | → |
| Sespe Creek Near Wheeler Springs Ca | 5 cfs | → |
| Ventura R Nr Ventura | 33 cfs | → |
| Carpinteria C Nr Carpinteria Ca | · | → |
| Santa Paula C Nr Santa Paula | 13 cfs | → |
| Gibraltar Dam Div Weir A Gibraltar Dam Ca | 13 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Matilija Dam.
⚓ Boat launches
More boat launches →⛺ Campgrounds
More campgrounds →🎣 Fishing spots
More fishing →🛶 Paddle runs
- Chorro Grande Canyon To Section Line Dividing Sec 1, T5n, R23w And Sec 6, T5n, T22w
- Section Line To Confluence With Rock Creek
- Headwaters, Upper Piru Creek To Wildernes Boundary
- Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Gold Hill Creek
- Confluence With Gold Hill Creek To Castaic
- Castaic To Pyramid Reservoir
Track Matilija Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this reservoir as a favorite and set push alerts when storage crosses a threshold (e.g. "alert me at 80% of normal").
About Matilija Dam
Where does the data for Matilija Dam come from?
Daily storage, pool elevation, and release rates are sourced from USGS, USBR, and USACE monitoring stations. Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
Storage observations are updated daily by the operating agency. The 15-day weather forecast refreshes throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- check the "as of" timestamp on the storage card.
What does the Hazard 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 reservoir, 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 Matilija Dam.