| Pacoima Dam | |
|---|---|
 The Pacoima Dam, viewed from Contract Point. | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Los Angeles County, California |
| Coordinates | 34°20′05″N 118°23′47″W / 34.33472°N 118.39639°W |
| Status | In use |
| Construction began | 1925 |
| Opening date | 1928 |
| Owner(s) | Los Angeles County Department of Public Works |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | arch |
| Impounds | Pacoima Creek |
| Height | 371 feet (113 m) |
| Length | 640 feet (200 m) |
| Spillways | 1 |
| Spillway type | Service, concrete tunnel |
| Spillway capacity | 24,700 cubic feet per second (700 m3/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Pacoima Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 3,777 acre⋅ft (4,659,000 m3) |
| Catchment area | 27.8 square miles (72 km2) |
| Surface area | 68 acres (28 ha) |
Pacoima Dam is a concrete arch dam on Pacoima Creek in the San Gabriel Mountains, in Los Angeles County, California. The reservoir it creates, Pacoima Reservoir, has a capacity of 3,777 acre⋅ft (4,659,000 m3)[1]
Built by the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, which became part of the Department of Public Works, it was completed in 1928. At the time, the 371 foot (113m) high dam was the tallest arch dam in the U.S.[1]
The dam is situated approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Sylmar, above the San Fernando Valley.[1] As a flood control structure, district routinely compensates for hydraulic deficiencies in downstream areas by restraining flows of stormwater released from the dam.[2]
- ^ a b c Hudnut, Kenneth W. & Behr, Jeffrey A. (1998). "Continuous GPS monitoring of Structural Deformation at Pacoima Dam, California". Seismological Society of America. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
- ^ Sahagún, Louis (March 18, 2023). "Flooding vulnerabilities of L.A. River's Glendale Narrows spark concern amid record rain". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 18, 2023.