Angeles National Forest near Azusa in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
San Gabriel Dam
1939
Photographed by Craig Baker, July 13, 2026
1. San Gabriel Dam Marker
Los Angeles County Flood Control District - San Gabriel Dam.
Purpose: Flood control and water conservation.
Type: Earth and rock fill.
Drainage Area: 202.7 square miles.
Storage Capacity: 53,340 acre-feet.
Crest Height: 310 feet.
Completed: 1939.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1939.
Location. 34° 12.01′ N, 117° 51.552′ W. Marker is near Azusa, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Angeles National Forest. It is on San Gabriel Canyon Road (California Route 39) 7½ miles north of Interstate 210, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9700 San Gabriel Canyon Rd, Azusa CA 91702, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles and in the Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Rubel Castle (approx. 3½ miles away); Glendora City Hall (approx. 4.2 miles away); Glendora Bougainvillea (approx. 4.2 miles away); Pacific Electric Station (approx. 4.3 miles away); Mission Theater Building (approx. 4.4 miles away); Fairmount Pioneer Cemetery (approx. 4½ miles away); Big Tree (approx. 5.1 miles away); Rain Bird Impact Drive Sprinkler Head (approx. 5.1 miles away).
Regarding San Gabriel Dam. Completed in 1939 after seven years of construction, the San Gabriel Dam is a colossal earth and rock-fill structure located in the Angeles National Forest on the San Gabriel River. Costing $17 million during the Great Depression, it was built to provide vital flood control, hydroelectric power, and groundwater recharge for the San Gabriel Valley. The dam's massive profile stands 310 feet above the original streambed and is anchored by a concrete cutoff wall. At the time of its completion, it was the largest
Photographed by Craig Baker, July 13, 2026
2. San Gabriel Dam Marker
The marker is at the trees.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. Cogswell Dam, located upstream.
Photographed by Craig Baker, July 13, 2026
3. San Gabriel Dam
Being restored after local wildfires and floods.
Photographed by Craig Baker, July 13, 2026
4. Morris Dam Reservoir
Located just south of San Gabriel Dam. The 250-foot concrete ramp was used by the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1993 to drop unarmed torpedoes into the water to test hydrodynamics.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 15, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 14 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 15, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
