Santiago Dam
Encyclopedia
Santiago Dam is an earth/rockfill dam across Santiago Creek
in Orange County
, in the U.S. state
of California
, forming Irvine Lake. The 136 feet (41.5 m) earth dam and its reservoir serve for flood control and recreational purposes. It lies upstream (southeast) from the city of Orange
and north of Irvine
. Irvine Lake is the largest body of fresh water entirely in Orange County.
and Serrano Irrigation District. After the site was graded, the dam was built using dirt and rock excavated from the sides of the canyon and from the streambed both above and below the dam site. The structure was completed in 1931 at a cost of $1 million, and its reservoir, Irvine Lake, filled by 1933. In the late 1930s, the lake was stocked with fish, and was opened to the public for recreational use in 1941.
The dam was built to serve the purpose of flood control, irrigation and municipal water use. With heavy suburban sprawl downstream encroaching since the 1960s, agriculture along lower Santiago Creek has practically ceased. It is currently owned by the Irvine Ranch Water District and the Serrano Water District (the former Serrano Irrigation District). Today the dam marks the usual ending point of surface flow in Santiago Creek, as all the discharge is retained in the reservoir and downstream flow is limited to seepage and stormwater.
Irvine Lake is the reservoir formed behind the dam, and has a normal storage of 25000 acre.ft at 791 feet (241.1 m) elevation. Maximum storage is 28000 acre.ft in the event of a flood. This reservoir is not only the largest man-made lake in Orange County, but is also the largest body of fresh water entirely in the county. The lake covers about 700 acres (283.3 ha) and is stocked with several species of fish. A fishing license is not required.
The dam and reservoir receive water from a catchment area totaling 64 square miles (165.8 km²), controlling water from about two-thirds of the Santiago Creek watershed. Santiago Dam is designed to contain up to a 50-year flood and withstand a 500-year flood of over 30000 cuft/s. Aside from Santiago Creek, Limestone Wash and various unnamed streams flow into the reservoir. Upstream tributaries of Santiago Creek include Silverado and Modjeska Creeks. The dam operates in conjunction with the downstream Villa Park Dam, which can store up to 14000 acre.ft. Villa Park is designed to stay dry during normal weather conditions and hold back most flood releases from the Santiago Dam.
Santiago Creek
Santiago Creek is a major watercourse in Orange County in the U.S. state of California. About long, it drains most of the northern Santa Ana Mountains and is a tributary to the Santa Ana River...
in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, forming Irvine Lake. The 136 feet (41.5 m) earth dam and its reservoir serve for flood control and recreational purposes. It lies upstream (southeast) from the city of Orange
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
and north of Irvine
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
. Irvine Lake is the largest body of fresh water entirely in Orange County.
History
Construction on the dam started in 1929 with a joint venture by the Irvine CompanyIrvine Company
The Irvine Company is a privately held real estate development company based in Newport Beach, Orange County, Southern California. The corporate center of the company lies in Newport Center. A large portion of its operations are centered in and around the City of Irvine, a planned city of 250,000...
and Serrano Irrigation District. After the site was graded, the dam was built using dirt and rock excavated from the sides of the canyon and from the streambed both above and below the dam site. The structure was completed in 1931 at a cost of $1 million, and its reservoir, Irvine Lake, filled by 1933. In the late 1930s, the lake was stocked with fish, and was opened to the public for recreational use in 1941.
The dam was built to serve the purpose of flood control, irrigation and municipal water use. With heavy suburban sprawl downstream encroaching since the 1960s, agriculture along lower Santiago Creek has practically ceased. It is currently owned by the Irvine Ranch Water District and the Serrano Water District (the former Serrano Irrigation District). Today the dam marks the usual ending point of surface flow in Santiago Creek, as all the discharge is retained in the reservoir and downstream flow is limited to seepage and stormwater.
Statistics
The Santiago Dam is a roller compacted earth and rockfill structure 136 feet (41.5 m) high and 1425 feet (434.3 m) long. It is roughly 760 feet (231.6 m) wide at the base and contains some 790000 cubic yards (603,998.3 m³) of material. The dam's spillway is a concrete overflow structure to the left side, equipped with nine openings each 15 feet (4.6 m) wide and 28 feet (8.5 m) high, able to pass a flow exceeding 30000 cuft/s. This spillway has only been used a few times, such as the floods of 1938, 1969, 1983, 1998 and 2005. The dam crest is 804 feet (245.1 m) above sea level.Irvine Lake is the reservoir formed behind the dam, and has a normal storage of 25000 acre.ft at 791 feet (241.1 m) elevation. Maximum storage is 28000 acre.ft in the event of a flood. This reservoir is not only the largest man-made lake in Orange County, but is also the largest body of fresh water entirely in the county. The lake covers about 700 acres (283.3 ha) and is stocked with several species of fish. A fishing license is not required.
The dam and reservoir receive water from a catchment area totaling 64 square miles (165.8 km²), controlling water from about two-thirds of the Santiago Creek watershed. Santiago Dam is designed to contain up to a 50-year flood and withstand a 500-year flood of over 30000 cuft/s. Aside from Santiago Creek, Limestone Wash and various unnamed streams flow into the reservoir. Upstream tributaries of Santiago Creek include Silverado and Modjeska Creeks. The dam operates in conjunction with the downstream Villa Park Dam, which can store up to 14000 acre.ft. Villa Park is designed to stay dry during normal weather conditions and hold back most flood releases from the Santiago Dam.