Overview
Friant Dam
Friant Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the upper San Joaquin River in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Fresno County, California near the town of Friant. The dam, completed in 1942, forms Millerton Lake and was built by the Bureau of Reclamation, which owns and operates the dam.
The lake and dam are about 15 miles (24 km) north of downtown Fresno. The lake storage capacity is 520,500acre·ft (642,000dam³) for irrigation of the San Joaquin Valley, which is distributed by the Madera- and Friant-Kern-Canals.
Its secondary uses include flood control and recreation. Upstream from the dam is the Big Creek hydroelectric system.
The 25 megawatt Friant Power Plant in front of the dam produces hydroelectricity for the Friant Power Authority. There are two smaller power plants that produce power with the minimum-flow release water and the water for fish hatchery operations.
General
Project | CVP-Friant |
Watercourse | San Joaquin River |
Reservoir | Millerton Lake |
Original Construction | 1939-1942 |
National ID Number | CA10154 |
Base Width | 267 ft |
Dimensions
Crest Elevation | 581.25 ft |
Top Parapet (Elevation) | 585.00 ft |
Structural Height | 319 ft |
Hydraulic Height (Normal Operating Depth at Dam) | 293 ft |
Crest Length | 3488 ft |
Crest Width | 20 ft |
Volume of Dam Construction Materials | 2135000 cu yd |
Hydraulics & Hydrology
Spillway Capacity at Elevation | 83000 cfs at 578 |
Outlet Works Capacity at Elevation | 16400 cfs at 578 ft |
Drainage Area | 1650 sq mi |
Hydrometeorological Report (HMR) | HMR 36 |
Maximum Water Surface Elevation | 595.6 ft |
Contact