Sugar Pine Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sugar Pine Dam |
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Sugar Pine Dam from the air
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Northern California |
| Coordinates | 39°7′47″N 120°48′5″W / 39.12972°N 120.80139°W |
| Construction began | 1979 |
| Opening date | 1982 |
| Construction cost | $71 million |
| Owner(s) | Foresthill Public Utility District |
| Operator(s) | Foresthill Public Utility District |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Earth fill dam |
| Impounds | North Shirttail Creek |
| Height | 205 ft (62 m) |
| Length | 689 ft (210 m) |
| Width (base) | 984 ft (300 m) |
| Dam volume | 987,500 cu ft (27,960 m3) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Sugar Pine Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 6,921 acre⋅ft (8,537,000 m3) |
| Surface area | 165 acres (67 ha) |
| Normal elevation | 3,609 ft (1,100 m) |
Sugar Pine Dam is a big structure in Placer County, California. It's about 7 miles north of the town of Foresthill. This dam is built across North Shirttail Creek. This creek is a small river that flows into the North Fork American River. The dam's main job is to hold back water. This water then becomes the main supply for the homes and businesses in the Foresthill area.
How Sugar Pine Dam Was Built
Building Sugar Pine Dam started in 1979. It was finished just three years later, in 1982. The dam is an earthfill embankment dam. This means it's made mostly from packed earth, rocks, and clay. It's not made of concrete like some other dams.
The dam was first planned as part of a bigger project. This project was called the Central Valley Project. It's a large system of dams and canals in California. Even though Sugar Pine Dam was part of this plan, it mostly works on its own. It helps fill the Sugar Pine Reservoir. Water from this reservoir then travels through the Sugar Pine Pipeline to Foresthill.
Who Owns and Operates the Dam?
When the dam was first built, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation helped manage it. This is a government agency that builds and operates water projects. But in 1984, the Foresthill Public Utility District took over. They became responsible for running and taking care of the dam.
Later, in 2003, the Foresthill Public Utility District bought the dam. They also bought the reservoir and the pipeline from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. They paid $3.1 million for them. As of 2012, this district provides water to many people. They serve about 1,875 homes and 75 businesses in and around Foresthill.
