Sweetwater Dam

Sweetwater Dam
Sweetwater Dam and reservoir, May 2011
Sweetwater Dam is located in California
Sweetwater Dam
Location of the Sweetwater Dam in California
CountryUnited States of America
LocationSan Diego County, California
Coordinates32°41′29″N 117°00′29″W / 32.69139°N 117.00806°W / 32.69139; -117.00806
StatusIn use
Construction began17 November 1886;
137 years ago
 (1886-11-17)
Opening date7 April 1888;
136 years ago
 (1888-04-07)
Construction cost$234,074.11
Owner(s)Sweetwater Authority
Dam and spillways
Type of damConcrete gravity-arch
ImpoundsSweetwater River
Height108 ft (33 m)
Length700 ft (210 m)
Width (crest)25 ft (7.6 m)
Width (base)46 ft (14 m)
Spillway type7x gate-controlled, service + uncontrolled emergency spillway
Spillway capacity45,000 cu ft/s (1,300 m3/s)
Reservoir
CreatesSweetwater Reservoir
Total capacity28,079 acre⋅ft (34,635,000 m3)
Catchment area180 sq mi (470 km2)
Surface area960 acres (390 ha)
Power Station
Hydraulic head90 ft (27 m)
Installed capacityNone

The Sweetwater Dam is a dam across the Sweetwater River in San Diego County, California. It is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) east of San Diego, 9 miles (14 km) and borders Bonita to the southwest and La Presa to the northeast. The 108-foot (33 m)-high masonry arch dam impounds 960-acre (390 ha) Sweetwater Reservoir.

The dam was first constructed in 1888 as part of a system of reservoirs on San Diego County rivers designed to provide water to irrigate crops along the coast and to supply the city of San Diego and its outlying towns. Over the next few decades the dam was raised and retrofitted several times from its original height of 60 feet (18 m). In 1916, a heavy flood caused both abutments of the dam to fail. The rest of the dam did not sustain heavy damage and it remains in use for flood control, water storage and recreation.