Castaic Dam

Castaic Dam
View from the northeast.
LocationCastaic, United States
Coordinates34°31′10″N 118°36′25″W / 34.5194°N 118.6070°W / 34.5194; -118.6070
Opening date1973; 51 years ago (1973)
Dam and spillways
Type of damEarthfill
ImpoundsCastaic Creek
Height340 ft (100 m)[1]
Length5,200 ft (1,600 m)[1]
Dam volume44,000,000 cu yd (34,000,000 m3)[1]
Spillway typeUncontrolled overflow
Reservoir
CreatesCastaic Lake
Total capacity325,000 acre⋅ft (401,000,000 m3)[1]
Catchment area153.7 sq mi (398 km2)[1]
Surface area2,235 acres (904 ha)[1]
Power Station
Installed capacity11 MW

Castaic Dam is an embankment dam in northwestern Los Angeles County, California, in the unincorporated area of Castaic. Although located on Castaic Creek, a major tributary of the Santa Clara River, Castaic Creek provides little of its water. The lake is the terminus of the West Branch of the California Aqueduct, part of the State Water Project. The dam was built by the California Department of Water Resources and construction was completed in 1973. The lake has a capacity of 325,000 acre-feet (401,000,000 m3) and stores drinking water for the western portion of the Greater Los Angeles Area.

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Castaic Dam (CAS)". California Data Exchange Center. California Department of Water Resources. Retrieved 6 June 2014.