List of dam removals in California explained

This is a list of dams in California that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.__TOC__

Completed removals

Dam[1] Height Year removed Location Watercourse Watershed Notes
Roy's Dam2020San Geronimo CreekTomales BayFarming stock pond owned by a private golf course.
Rogers Dam1983Point Reyes Station
Tributary to Olema Creek
North Debris Dam2002Tributary to Los Angeles RiverLos Angeles River
Trancas Debris Dam2002Tributary to Trancas CreekTrancas Creek
HJFD12018Orange County
Holy Jim CreekSan Juan CreekThe Trabuco District Dam Removal Project is an initiative of the Cleveland National Forest to remove over 80 dams on four streams. The "fish check dams" were originally built to create pools for a stocked rainbow trout fishery and to store water for conservation and fire suppression. The removals are intended to improve passage of fish and other aquatic species.[2] [3]
HJFD22018Orange County
HJFD32019Orange County
HJFD42019Orange County
HJFD52019Orange County
HJFD62014Orange County
HJFD72014Orange County
HJFD82014Orange County
HJFD92014Orange County
HJFD102014Orange County
HJFD112018Orange County
HJFD152017Orange County
HJFD162017Orange County
HJFD172017Orange County
HJFD182017Orange County
HJFD192017Orange County
HJFD212018Orange County
HJFD222018Orange County
HJFD232018Orange County
HJFD252018Orange County
HJFD262018Orange County
HJFD292018Orange County
HJFD302018Orange County
HJFD312018Orange County
HJFD322018Orange County
HJFD332018Orange County
HJFD342018Orange County
HJFD34.1/352018Orange County
HJFD372018Orange County
HJFD402018Orange County
HJFD412018Orange County
SJFD12018Orange County
San Juan Creek
SJFD22018Orange County
SJFD32018Orange County
SJFD42018Orange County
SJFD52018Orange County
SJFD62018Orange County
SJFD72018Orange County
SJFD92018Orange County
SJFD102018Orange County
SJFD112018Orange County
SJFD122019Orange County
SJFD132019Orange County
SJFD142019Orange County
SJFD152019Orange County
SJFD172019Orange County
SJFD182019Orange County
SJFD192019Orange County
SJFD202019Orange County
SJFD212019Orange County
SJFD222019Orange County
SJFD232019Orange County
SJFD242019Orange County
SJFD252019Orange County
SJFD262019Orange County
SJFD272019Orange County
SJFD282018Orange County
SJFD292018Orange County
SJFD302018Orange County
SJFD312018Orange County
TCFD72014Orange County
Trabuco Creek
TCFD92014Orange County
TCFD102014Orange County
TCFD112014Orange County
TCFD112018Orange County
SCFD42019Orange County
Silverado CreekSanta Ana River
SCFD52019Orange County
SCFD72017Orange County
SCFD82017Orange County
SCFD102017Orange County
SCFD122017Orange County
Glenbrook Gulch Dam2010Mendocino County
Glenbrook GulchAlbion RiverWater diversion dam owned by a timber company.
Unknown2014Irmulco
Olds CreekNoyo River
D.B. Fields/Johnson Dam1946Mendocino County
Rice CreekBig River
McGowan Dam1998Butte CreekButte CreekIrrigation dam.
Western Canal East Dam1998
Western Canal Main Dam1998
McPherrin Dam1998Biggs
Old Carmel River Dam2016Monterey
Carmel RiverCarmel RiverOwned by California American Water.
San Clemente Dam2015Monterey County
Owned by California American Water, the dam was deemed unsafe in 1992 by the Department of Water Resources. It was no longer serving its use by supplying water to the Monterey Peninsula and blocked steelhead from spawning upstream.[4]
Pennington Creek Dam2018San Luis Obispo
Pennington CreekMorro Bay
Upper Dam (Lost Man Dam)1989Lost Man Creek
Sweasey Dam1970Arcata
Mad RiverMad River
East Mill Creek Barrier2008Humboldt County
East Mill CreekMattole River
Cahill Dam2013Santa Cruz
Branciforte CreekMonterey BayWater supply, recreation, and fire protection dam.
Tucker Road Ford2006Los Gatos
Soquel CreekMonterey Bay
Crocker Creek Dam2002Cloverdale
Crocker CreekRussian RiverDam built for recreation.
Camp Meeker Dam2009Occidental
Dutch Bill Creek
Fife Creek Check Dam2010Guerneville
Fife Creek
Dempster Vineyard Dam2018Forestville
Green Valley CreekIrrigation and frost protection dam.
Iron Horse Dam2019Sonoma County
Water supply dam.
Mumford Dam2003Redwood Valley
West Fork Russian River
Shasta River Water Association Diversion Dam2009Shasta County
Nelson CreekSacramento RiverIrrigation dam.
Wildcat Dam2009Anderson
North Fork Battle CreekHydropower dam owned by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
Double U Fish Ranch Dam2023Modoc County
Howards Gulch
Beale Dam2020Beale Air Force Base
Dry CreekRecreation dam owned by the U.S. Air Force.
Dream Lake Dam2011Lassen Volcanic National Park
Hot Springs Creek
McCormick-Saeltzer Dam2000Redding
Clear Creek
Hammer Diversion Dam2014Red Bluff
South Fork Cottonwood CreekDomestic water and hydropower dam.
Percolation Dam2009Solano County
Putah CreekDam used to increase local groundwater elevations. Owned by the City of Winter.
Swim Dam #12001Sunol
Alameda CreekSan Francisco Bay
Swim Dam #22001Sunol
Sunol Dam2006Sunol
Niles Dam2006Union City
Bear Creek Dam #32012Woodside
Bear Creek
Columbine Dam2021Santa Clara
Flint CreekOwned by the San Jose Water Company.
Bonde Weir2013Palo Alto
San Francisquito CreekErosion control dam.
Lagunita Diversion Dam2018Palo Alto
San Francisquito CreekWater storage dam owned by Stanford University.
Unnamed Small Dam #11998Guadalupe River
Unnamed Small Dam #21998
Memorial Park Dam2015San Mateo County
Pescadero CreekPescadero CreekOwned by the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District.
Waterman Dam2009Boulder Creek
Waterman CreekMill dam.
Lower Mill Creek Dam2021Santa Cruz
Mill CreekSan Vicente RiverLogging dam owned by the CEMEX Cement Plant.
Hall Wines Dam (Dry Creek Dam)2008Napa County
Dry CreekNapa RiverVineyard frost protection dam.
Milliken Creek Dam2017Napa County
Milliken CreekGolf course irrigation dam.
York Creek Diversion Structure2004St. Helena
York Creek
York Dam2020St. Helena
Water storage dam owned by the City of St. Helena.
Maria Ygnacio Debris Basin Dam East Branch2019Santa Barbara County
East Branch Maria Ygnacio CreekAtascadero CreekDebris retention basin owned by the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District.
Maria Ygnacio Aijian Barrier2014Santa Barbara
Maria Ygnacio Creek
Maria Ygnacio Debris Basin Dam Main Branch2019Santa Barbara County
Debris retention basin owned by the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District.
Lion Creek Diversion Dam2014Ojai
Lion CreekSanta Clara RiverWater supply dam for the Middle Lion Creek Campground.
Horse Creek Dam2006Los Padres National Forest
Horse CreekSanta Maria River
Rodeo Grounds Berm2008Los Angeles County
Topanga CreekSanta Monica Bay
Trout Haven DamSix Rivers National Forest
Monkey CreekSmith River
Benbow Dam2016Eureka
South Fork Eel RiverEel RiverOwned by California State Parks.
Cedar Creek Hatchery Dam2022Leggett
Cedar Creek
Salt Creek DamMendocino National Forest
Salt Creek
Bear Valley Dam1982Point Reyes National Seashore
Drakes Bay
Lower Murphy DamInverness
Home Bay
Upper Murphy DamPoint Reyes National Seashore
Home Ranch Creek
Haypress Pond Dam2003Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Tributary to Tennessee ValleyTennessee CoveWater supply dam for grazing stock.
Copco Number 2 Dam[5] 2023Siskiyou County
Klamath RiverKlamath RiverAfter more than 20 years of advocacy from the Un-Dam the Klamath movement, the first of the four dams on the Lower Klamath River was removed in fall 2023.[6]
East Weaver Creek Dam[7] 2023Weaverville
East Weaver CreekWater supply dam owned by the Weaverville Community Services District.
Hostler Creek Dam2012Hoopa
Hostler CreekOwned by the Hoopa Tribe.
Minnie Reeves Dam2002Douglas City
Indian Creek
Little Shasta River Flashboard Dam2019Siskiyou CountyLittle Shasta RiverIrrigation dam.
Araujo Dam2007Siskiyou County
Shasta RiverFlashboard diversion dam installed every summer.
Grenada Irrigation District Dam2012Siskiyou County
Irrigation dam.
Quinn Dam1951East Fork North Fork Trinity River
Lone Jack Dam
Todd Dam1949
Trinity Cty. Water & Power Co. Dam1946East Fork Trinity River
North Fork Placers Dam1950North Fork Trinity River
Whites Gulch Upper Dam2008Etna
Whites Gulch
White Gulch Dam #1 (Whites Gulch Lower Dam)2008Siskiyou County
2 diversion dams.
Smith Dam1949
Bonally Mining Co. Dam1946North Fork Salmon River
Bennett-Smith Dam1950South Fork Salmon River
Barton Dam1950South Fork Scott River
Rooney Bros Dam2008Sacramento County
Cosumnes RiverMokelumne River
Murphy Creek Dam (Sparrow Dam)2003Clements
Murphy Creek
East Panther Creek Dam2016Amador County
East Panther CreekOwned by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
West Panther Creek Dam2003Amador County
West Panther Creek
Camp Nine Dam2012Vallecito
Stanislaus RiverSan Joaquin River
Cascade Diversion Dam2003El Portal
Merced River
Dennett Dam2018Modesto
Tuolumne RiverDam built for recreation.
Ojai Valley Trail Ford2011Oak View
San Antonio CreekVentura River
Arco Pond Dam
Happy Isles Dam1987
C-Lind Dam #11993
Three C. Picket Dam1949Beaver Creek
Big Creek Manufacturing DamBig Creek
A-Frame Dam2003Brandy Creek
Point Four Dam1993Butte Creek
Henry Danninbrink Dam1927Canyon Creek
Red Hill Mining Do. Dam1951Canyon Creek
Lake Christopher Dam1994Cold Creek
Unnamed dam2002Ferrari Creek
Russell Dam (Hinkley Dam)1922Hayfork Creek
Hessellwood Dam1925Hayfork Creek
Big Nugget Mine Dam1949Horse Creek
D.B. Fields Dam1947Indian Creek
Altoona Dam1947Kidder Creek
Clarissa V. Mining Dam1950Redding Creek
Anderline Dam1936Rush Creek
Unnamed Arizona Crossing2002Solstice Creek
Moser Dam1949Swillup Creek
Unnamed dam2006Ward Creek
Unnamed dam1992Wildcat Creek
Unnamed dam1992

Planned and proposed removals

Dam Height Expected year Location Watercourse Watershed Notes
Copco Number 1 Dam2024Siskiyou County
Klamath RiverKlamath RiverAfter more than 20 years of advocacy from the Un-Dam the Klamath movement, three dams on the Klamath River in California are expected to be removed by November 2024.[8] Two remain .
Iron Gate DamSiskiyou County
Matilija DamOjai
Matilija CreekVentura River
Rindge Dam2025–2035Malibu Creek State Park
Malibu CreekSanta Monica Bay
Scott Dam2028 or laterLake County
Eel RiverEel RiverThe Pacific Gas and Electric Company has operated two hydroelectric dams on the Eel River as part of the Potter Valley Project. In 2023 the company applied to demolish the dams amid growing issues with maintenance, environmental compliance, and seismic liability. The project would drain Lake Pillsbury, make the Eel the longest free-flowing river in California, and restore hundreds of miles of habitat for endangered fish.[9]
Cape Horn DamMendocino County

Notes and References

  1. American Rivers Dam Removal Database . . . 25 August 2023 . 13 February 2023. 10.6084/m9.figshare.5234068.v10 . Rivers . American .
  2. Web site: Trabuco District Dam Removal Project . www.fs.usda.gov . . 27 December 2023.
  3. News: Hacker . Allison . A Programmatic Approach to Dam Removal and River Restoration: Cleveland National Forest, CA . 27 December 2023 . . 9 September 2019.
  4. Web site: Carmel River diverted to demolish San Clemente Dam. SFGate. 15 December 2014. 2016-03-02.
  5. Web site: Klamath Dam Removal: Copco 2 History & Updates . Native Fish Society . 2 January 2024 . en . November 2023.
  6. News: Work on Copco No. 2 Dam Removal Comes to a Close . 20 November 2023 . Klamath River Renewal . 2 November 2023.
  7. American Rivers Dam Removal Database . . . 20 February 2024 . 12 February 2024 . 10.6084/m9.figshare.5234068.v11 . Rivers . American .
  8. News: Flaccus . Gillian . Major hurdle cleared in plan to demolish 4 Klamath River dams . 16 January 2023 . opb . 26 February 2022 . en.
  9. News: Greenson . Thadeus . PG&E Moves Forward with Eel River Dam Removal . 3 February 2024 . North Coast Journal . 23 November 2023 . en.

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