Folsom in Sacramento County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Folsom Dam Improvements
Promoting Public Safety for the Sacramento Region
Photographed By Syd Whittle, April 4, 2009
1. Folsom Dam Improvements Marker
Inscription.
Folsom Dam Improvements. Promoting Public Safety for the Sacramento Region. , Folsom Dam and Reservoir are a component of the Central Valley Project, owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Central California Area Office, Construction of Folsom Dam by the Corps began in October 1948 and was completed in May 1956. Folsom Dam was then transferred to Reclamation for operation., Folsom Dam is a concrete gravity dam 340 feet high and 1,400 feet long flanked by left and right earthfill wing dams. “The Folsom Facility” also includes Mormon Island Auxiliary Dam and eight earthfill dikes. The storage capacity for the reservoir is 977,000 acre-feet at an elevation of 466 feet., Water was first stored in February 1955. The Folsom Facility provides for water for municipal and industrial use and agriculture; generates 10 percent of local hydropower needs; maintains flows and water temperatures to support fish and wildlife; provides flows for Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta water quality; and offers recreation for 2 million visitors annually. ,
_____________________________. Since 1955, Reclamation and the Corps have been working together to ensure the safe maintenance and operation of Folsom Dam. This collaboration has provided more than 50 years of protection for people and businesses downstream as well as power and a reliable water supply. ,
What is Dam Safety and Flood Control?. The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) have obligations and interests in relation to the Folsom Facility, but they differ with respect to Congressional objectives, mandates, authorities, funding, and timelines. Joint agency objectives met by facility modifications include:, Dam Safety , Under the Safety of Dams Program, Reclamation identified the need for expedited action to reduce hydrologic (flood), seismic (earthquake), and static (seepage) risks. These events have low probability of occurrence in a given year; however, due to large population downstream and adjacent to Folsom Dam, modifying the facility is prudent and required to improve public safety., Flood Damage Reduction , The Corps, in partnership with the Central Valley Flood Protection Board (formerly the State Reclamation Board), and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA), identified the need to reduce the risk of flooding in the Sacramento area, one of the most at-risk communities in the Nation., Project Coordination , The auxiliary spillway, or Joint Federal Project (JFP), represents an unprecedented partnership among Reclamation, the Corps, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, and SAFCA. , The JFP was developed to coordinate efforts of both Reclamation and the Corps at the Folsom Facility. Through their cooperation, Reclamation and the Corps seek to integrate related dam safety and flood-risk reduction improvements. Additionally, both agencies are planning other improvements separate from the JFP.
Folsom Dam and Reservoir are a component of the Central Valley Project, owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Central California Area Office
Construction of Folsom Dam by the Corps began in October 1948 and was completed in May 1956. Folsom Dam was then transferred to Reclamation for operation.
Folsom Dam is a concrete gravity dam 340 feet high and 1,400 feet long flanked by left and right earthfill wing dams. “The Folsom Facility” also includes Mormon Island Auxiliary Dam and eight earthfill dikes. The storage capacity for the reservoir is 977,000 acre-feet at an elevation of 466 feet.
Water was first stored in February 1955. The Folsom Facility provides for water for municipal and industrial use and agriculture; generates 10 percent of local hydropower needs; maintains flows and water temperatures to support fish and wildlife; provides flows for Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta water quality; and offers recreation for 2 million visitors annually.
_____________________________
Since 1955, Reclamation and the Corps have been working together to ensure the safe maintenance and operation of Folsom Dam. This collaboration has provided more than 50 years of protection for people and businesses downstream as well as power
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and a reliable water supply.
What is Dam Safety and Flood Control?
The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) have obligations and interests in relation to the Folsom Facility, but they differ with respect to Congressional objectives, mandates, authorities, funding, and timelines. Joint agency objectives met by facility modifications include:
Dam Safety
Under the Safety of Dams Program, Reclamation identified the need for expedited action to reduce hydrologic (flood), seismic (earthquake), and static (seepage) risks. These events have low probability of occurrence in a given year; however, due to large population downstream and adjacent to Folsom Dam, modifying the facility is prudent and required to improve public safety.
Flood Damage Reduction
The Corps, in partnership with the Central Valley Flood Protection Board (formerly the State Reclamation Board), and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA), identified the need to reduce the risk of flooding in the Sacramento area, one of the most at-risk communities in the Nation.
Project Coordination
The auxiliary spillway, or Joint Federal Project (JFP), represents an unprecedented partnership among Reclamation, the Corps, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, and SAFCA.
The JFP was developed
Photographed By Syd Whittle, April 4, 2009
2. Folsom Dam Improvements Marker with Folsom Lake in the Background
to coordinate efforts of both Reclamation and the Corps at the Folsom Facility. Through their cooperation, Reclamation and the Corps seek to integrate related dam safety and flood-risk reduction improvements. Additionally, both agencies are planning other improvements separate from the JFP.
Erected by U.S. Department of the Interior-Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Central Valley Flood Protection Board-State of California and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency.
Location. 38° 41.734′ N, 121° 7.76′ W. Marker is in Folsom, California, in Sacramento County. Marker can be reached from East Natoma Street. Marker is located at the Folsom Point boat launch area, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, off of East Natoma Steet. This is a fee-use area. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Folsom CA 95630, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . California State Parks. Folsom Dam Facts & Questions (Submitted on April 4, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona.)
Additional keywords. 21st Century
Photographed By Syd Whittle, April 4, 2009
4. Close-Up of Photos Displayed on Marker
Photographed By Syd Whittle, April 4, 2009
5. Close-Up of Photo Displayed on Marker
Folsom Dam Powerplant capacity is 207 MW. A megawatt (MW) is 1,000 Kilowatts.
Photographed By Syd Whittle, April 4, 2009
6. Close-Up of Photo Displayed on Marker
When completed in 2015, the JFP’s new auxiliary spillway will look like this (artist’s rendition). The JFP represents an unprecedented partnership among the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency.
Photographed By Syd Whittle, April 4, 2009
7. The Mormon Island Auxiliary Dam Mentioned in Marker Text
Looking South from Folsom Point.
Photographed By Syd Whittle, April 4, 2009
8. The Mormon Island Auxiliary Dam Mentioned in Marker Text
Looking North from Green Valley Road
Photographed By Syd Whittle, April 4, 2009
9. Folsom Lake with Folsom Dam in the Background
Photographed By Syd Whittle, April 4, 2009
10. Folsom Dam
Looking East from the new Folsom Dam Bridge.
No Water Being Released
Photographed By Syd Whittle, April 6, 2009
11. Folsom Dam - Two Days Later
Releasing of Water
Credits. This page was last revised on August 18, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 4, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. This page has been viewed 3,843 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. submitted on April 4, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 11. submitted on April 6, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona.