Sly Park Dam
| Sly Park Dam | |
|---|---|
Sly Park Dam (right) and auxiliary dam
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| Location | El Dorado County, California |
| Coordinates | 38°42′55″N 120°33′46″W / 38.71518°N 120.5627°WCoordinates: 38°42′55″N 120°33′46″W / 38.71518°N 120.5627°W |
| Construction began | 1953 |
| Opening date | 1955 |
| Operator(s) | U.S. Bureau of Reclamation |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Sly Park Creek |
| Height | 190 feet (58 m) |
| Length | 760 feet (230 m) |
| Spillway type | Gated overflow |
| Spillway capacity | 6,700 cubic feet per second (190 m3/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Jenkinson Lake |
| Total capacity | 41,000 acre feet (51,000 dam3) |
| Catchment area | 47 square miles (120 km2) |
| Surface area | 650 acres (260 ha) |
| Power Station | |
| Hydraulic head | 170 feet (52 m) |
| Installed capacity | None |
Sly Park Dam is located near Pollock Pines, California in the United States. The dam impounds Sly Park Creek, a tributary of the Middle Fork Cosumnes River, to form a 41,000 acre foot (51,000 dam3), 650-acre (260 ha) reservoir called Jenkinson Lake. It was constructed as part of the American River Division of the Central Valley Project to provide irrigation water to a portion of El Dorado County, California. The dam was begun on May 1953, with clearing operations, and was completed in mid 1955.
The earthfill Sly Park Dam is 190 feet (58 m) high, with a hydraulic height of 170 feet (52 m), and 760 feet (230 m) long. Its auxiliary dam is 130 feet (40 m) high and 600 feet (180 m) long. The spillway of Sly Park Dam is actually in the auxiliary dam: it is a concrete chute 170 feet (52 m) long and can carry 6,700 cubic feet (190 m3) per second, while the outlet works at the foot of the dam can carry 47 cubic feet (1.3 m3) per second. The drainage area of Sly Park Creek behind the dam is 47 square miles (120 km2). The Camino Conduit diverts water roughly 7.2 miles (11.6 km) west from the Jenkinson Reservoir for irrigation purposes. Water is also diverted from Camp Creek into Jenkinson Lake to increase the total water yield.
The Jenkinson Lake watershed consists of the approximately 16.5 square mile area between Sly Park Dam and the Cold Canyon Tributary of Sly Park Creek. This area includes both forks of Sly Park Creek, Hazel Creek, and the Cold Canyon Tributary of Sly Park Creek. Jenkinson Lake receives insufficient inflow from this area and additional water is diverted from outside the watershed through the Camp Creek Diversion Tunnel to meet demand. The area played a significant role in the gold rush era of California's history.
Like most of California, the Jenkinson Lake watershed has a Mediterranean climate, with hot dry summers and cool wet winters. Located on the windward side of the Sierra Nevada, the watershed receives a large amount of precipitation relative to other reservoirs in the Central Valley, such as Folsom Lake. The area receives an annual average precipitation of 51.6 inches. Precipitation typically occurs October through May as rain and snow, though the reservoir's watershed is low enough in elevation that continued runoff from snow pack is not significant. The reservoir is necessary to store water for use during the dry summer months.
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Wikipedia