{"id":8719,"date":"2026-05-22T14:02:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T14:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=8719"},"modified":"2026-05-22T14:02:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T14:02:02","slug":"aging-dams-super-el-nino-flood-insurance-and-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=8719","title":{"rendered":"Aging dams, Super El Nino, flood insurance and you"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><p>Our survival depends on water. And, in California, our water supply depends heavily on dams.<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=8715\">HOA Homefront: When must the board reduce assessments?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>They store the stuff. They generate electricity. They reduce flood risk. And they are, on average, older than your grandmother and potentially far more dangerous.<\/p>\n<p>California has more than 1,200 dams, according to data from the National Inventory of Dams\u00a0kept by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Their average age is about 77. And the majority of those dams have what the engineers describe as \u201chigh hazard potential,\u201d while another 165 carry \u201csignificant hazard potential.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t panic (yet). Those labels refer to the amount of mayhem they\u2019d cause if they failed, not to their actual conditions.<\/p>\n<p>So, what are their conditions, you ask?<\/p>\n<p>As of their last inspections, according to USACE data on more than 1,000 of the dams:<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Three dams (including one in San Diego County) were in flat out \u201cunsatisfactory\u201d condition.<\/p>\n<iframe allow=\"geolocation\" allowfullscreen=\"yes\" allowtransparency=\"1\" class=\"iframe\" height=\"500px\" id=\"6a1061a8de74a\" loading=\"lazy\" scrolling=\"yes\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=1nNEI7ern84J23c2gBLtQWNbZdgJUzf4&amp;ehbc=2E312F&amp;noprof=1\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe>\n<p>\u2014 51 (including three each in Orange and Los Angeles counties, one each in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and four in San Diego County) were \u201cpoor.\u201d<\/p> <div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2014 93 (including one in Orange County, two in San Bernardino County and four each in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego counties) were \u201cfair.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 744 were \u201csatisfactory;\u201d\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8717\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cb0fed3defd4a4b42e71d6dbea681d00.webp\" width=\"620\" srcset=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cb0fed3defd4a4b42e71d6dbea681d00.webp 620w, https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cb0fed3defd4a4b42e71d6dbea681d00-300x178.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 And, perhaps concerningly, 149 (including 11 in Los Angeles County, four in Orange County, six in Riverside County, seven in San Bernardino County and one in San Diego County) were \u201cnot rated,\u201d or their conditions were \u201cnot available.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re digging into all this because of a nudge we got from Julia, a reader in Fountain Valley, who lives near the Santa Ana River.<\/p> <div>\n<\/div>\n<p>She\u2019s wary about predictions of a very severe El Nino that could drench us next winter.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI haven\u2019t paid for flood insurance for more than 20 of the 45 years I\u2019ve owned my home. Should I consider buying flood insurance in January when my homeowner\u2019s insurance policy renews? I was quoted $1,400\/year about four years ago,\u201d she told us.<\/p>\n<p><span><iframe allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"youtube-player\" height=\"360\" loading=\"lazy\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nzBAWirHMvA?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en-US&amp;autohide=2&amp;wmode=transparent\" style=\"border:0;\" width=\"640\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I researched this question myself in the 1980s, I was told by the city the danger would not be a breach two blocks from me but general flooding coming from Anaheim Hills and oozing through the county. I am sure a lot has changed since then.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While we news types aren\u2019t quite qualified to offer advice on whether to buy or skip flood insurance, we can share what experts say, as well as information to help you decide.<\/p>\n<p>We can also ask the folks who own\/operate the creakier dams what the heck is going on. Who knew there were so many dams in California? And that they\u2019re so old? And that private entities own the largest single slice of them?<\/p>\n<p>And that the federal numbers and state numbers on all those dams are a bit out of whack?<\/p>\n<p>The California Department of Water Resources oversees state dams and counts 1,221 \u2014 including 1,076 deemed satisfactory, 87 fair, 56 poor, one unsatisfactory and one not rated \u2014 under its jurisdiction, spokesman Jason Ince told us.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAgeing critical infrastructure, including dams, is a major issue across the country,\u201d he said by email. \u201cThe California Department of Water Resources has established the Dam Safety and Climate Resilience Local Assistance Program, supported by $464 million from Proposition 4, to provide funding for repairs, rehabilitation, enhancements, and other dam safety projects at existing state-jurisdictional dams.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The department also works with county emergency response agencies before and during flood season \u201cto ensure coordination and communication,\u201d he said. \u201cCalifornia\u2019s ongoing partnerships (with) the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and collaboration with the U.S. Airforce, NOAA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have rapidly advanced research into extreme atmospheric rivers, giving emergency response agencies more time and information to coordinate deploying resources and issuing advanced evacuation warnings when flooding does occur.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Which is encouraging.<\/p>\n<p>But the basis on which most dams were designed, and are currently operated, includes outdated assumptions about hydrology and earthquakes, the Public Policy Institute of California said in a study. Scores need major upgrades to better handle large floods or withstand earthquakes.<\/p>\n<p>Promising efforts are underway in some watersheds \u2014 including the Russian, American, Santa Ana and Yuba Rivers \u2014 to update operations using advanced weather forecasting technology, the PPIC said. But there\u2019s much to do.<\/p>\n<h4>Condition: Poor<\/h4>\n<p>In Orange County, there are 36 dams with \u201chigh\u201d hazard potential and one with \u201csignificant\u201d hazard potential, according to the federal USACE data.<\/p>\n<p>But only three local dams are in \u201cpoor\u201d condition. These are the Santiago Creek dam, owned and operated by the Irvine Ranch Water District; the Lake Mission Viejo dam, under the auspices of the private Lake Mission Viejo Association, Inc.; and the Dove Canyon dam, operated by the private Dove Canyon Master Association.<\/p>\n<p>At 93, the Santiago Creek dam is the county\u2019s grand dame, if you will. It was completed in 1933, stands 136 feet high and 1,425 feet long. It gives us Irvine Lake, a popular spot for fishing and playing. But it\u2019s main purpose is water storage, making it \u201ca vital part of Orange County\u2019s water infrastructure\u201d for central and southern O.C.<\/p>\n<p>The Irvine Ranch Water District is working on it, and has launched an improvement project for the dam. A recent assessment found \u201cthe engineered earthen embankment dam is still operational but could be made safer,\u201d IRWD said in its project summary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe also found that the outlet tower and spillway are reaching the end of their useful life and need to be replaced and upgraded to today\u2019s seismic and safety standards.\u201d<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=8713\">WHO chief says Ebola outbreak in Congo is \u2018spreading rapidly\u2019 and upgrades risk assessment<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Design on the project began in 2020 and it was slated to last, er, seven years. Construction is set to begin in 2027 and wrap up by 2030. It will cost <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe keep the water level at Irvine Lake lower to ensure public safety, and the (state) reviews and approves all decisions related to the dam,\u201d said Irvine Ranch spokesperson Deniene Rivenburg. \u201cIrvine Lake is an important local water source for 900,000 people in Orange County, and a popular recreation spot for the region. The project will keep the reservoir in operation for another 100 years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Lake Mission Viejo dam at Oso Creek is much newer, completed in 1976. It\u2019s 123 feet high, 1,750 feet long and more than 70 feet deep near the dam, with an overall average depth of 30 feet, according to The Lake Mission Viejo Association (which owns, operates and manages the Lake, dam and marina facilities, according to its web site). The dam creates Lake Mission Viejo, which holds about 1.2 billion gallons of water.<\/p>\n<p>There are no structural issues with the dam, officials stressed. Instead, the dam\u2019s \u201cpoor\u201d rating is a function of three aging valves designed to release water from the lake. Inspection reports said they\u2019re inoperable, but that\u2019s not really the case, we were told; they\u2019re just manually cranked, and have been sitting in water for nearly 50 years, and have gotten harder to operate. They\u2019ve never had to be used in an emergency.<\/p>\n<p>One valve has been replaced. A larger one is being re-engineered to open and close with the push of a button rather than the turn of a crank, and it should be in place by the end of the year. A third valve also is being worked on. There\u2019s nothing to worry about, officials said; work is under way.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re a dam owner, an official told us, you have the fun responsibly of getting the dam inspected and permitted every year, which costs some $45,000. You hire folks to read the instrumentation, measure soil movement and compaction, etc. \u201cWe\u2019re doing everything right,\u201d he told us. \u201cWhen someone built this 50 yeas ago, they must have thought, \u2018This is going to be somebody\u2019s problem in 50 years, but it won\u2019t be ours.\u2019 \u201c<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the Dove Creek folks told us that they thought the dam belonged to the water district, and we didn\u2019t get more detail by deadline. (Because they\u2019re sensitive infrastructure, dam inspection reports are only available through public records act requests, which takes more time than we had for this story.)<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, that dam is 88 feet tall, 700 feet long and was built in Trabuco Canyon in 1989, forming Dove Lake. The gated community is designed to provide a sense of peace, its web site says: \u201cAlong with acres of trees and greenbelt, there are miles of nature trails, panoramic views of the mountains and a neighboring 16-acre lake, a large community pool, multiple tennis courts, and membership opportunities at the private Dove Canyon Golf Club.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One dam, Rattlesnake Canyon, was in \u201cfair\u201d condition, while the condition of four others \u2013Brea, Brea-Saddle Dike 1, Carbon Canyon and Fullerton \u2014 was not available.<\/p>\n<h4>Other SoCal counties<\/h4>\n<p>Los Angeles County has 81 dams with \u201chigh\u201d hazard potential and six with \u201csignificant\u201d hazard potential.<\/p>\n<p>Three \u2014 Castaic, Century and Rubio Debris Basin \u2014 are in \u201cpoor\u201d condition.<\/p>\n<p>Four \u2014 Bouquet Canyon, Eagle Rock, Pyramid and Sawpit Debris Basin \u2014 are \u201cfair.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sixty-nine others are \u201csatisfactory,\u201d while 11 are \u201cnot available:\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In Riverside County, there are 44 dams deemed to be \u201chigh\u201d hazard potential and two deemed significant. Only one \u2014 Lee Lake \u2014 is in \u201cpoor\u201d condition.<\/p>\n<p>Four \u2014 Dam Lake Norconian South, Dam Lake Norconian West, Mcvicker Canyon Debris Basin and Vail \u2014 are in \u201cfair\u201d condition: Thirty-five are in \u201csatisfactory\u201d condition, while five are \u201cnot available:\u201d One \u2014 Hall Mill \u2014 is not rated at all.<\/p>\n<p>In San Bernardino County, there are 38 dams deemed high hazard and five deemed significant. Only one \u2014 Lake Arrowhead \u2014 is in poor condition.<\/p>\n<p>Two \u2014 Cedar Springs and Glen Martin \u2014 are ranked \u201cfair,\u201d while 5 were not available and 2 are not rated. Another 33 are in satisfactory condition.<\/p>\n<p>And San Diego County, which has 42 dams deemed \u201chigh\u201d risk and two deemed \u201csignificant,\u201d also has Southern California\u2019s only \u201cunsatisfactory\u201d dam, Lake Hodges.<\/p>\n<p>Four others \u2014 Barrett, El Capitan, Morena and Savage \u2014 are in poor condition. And another four \u2014 Lake O\u2019Neill, Lake Wohlford, Murray and Sweetwater Main \u2014 are in fair condition. Thirty-four are in satisfactory condition, and the rating for one \u2014 Waste Pond \u2014 is unavailable.<\/p>\n<h4>Flood insurance?<\/h4>\n<p>To buy or not to buy, that is the question.<\/p>\n<p>You might want to start by putting your address into the FEMA Flood Map Service Center at https:\/\/msc.fema.gov\/portal\/search and seeing if sloshy blue covers your property (it did for mine): But the advice is probably going to be, buy flood insurance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhether you are in a high risk zone or not, you may need flood insurance because most homeowners insurance doesn\u2019t cover flood damage,\u201d . \u201cIf you live in an area with low or moderate flood risk, you are five times more likely to experience flood than a fire in your home over the next 30 years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"San Diego County dams. Red means higher hazard potential. (US Army Corps of Engineers)\" class=\"wp-image-8718\" height=\"471\" src=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/be754f2aa340a0e9dbf7ef1adac39425.webp\" width=\"620\" srcset=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/be754f2aa340a0e9dbf7ef1adac39425.webp 620w, https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/be754f2aa340a0e9dbf7ef1adac39425-300x228.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/figure>\nNinety-nine percent of U.S. counties have experienced a flood since 1998, FEMA\u2019s primer says, and more than 40% of flood insurance claims come from outside high-risk flood areas.<\/p>\n<p>We were steered to the First Street Foundation\u2019s Risk Factor tool to get a \u201cflood factor\u201d score between one and 10, based on our address. Five or higher is basically \u201crun for the hills.\u201d Turns out my house is an eight. Ouch.<\/p>\n<p>Just one inch of water can cause roughly $25,000 of damage to a property, and most homeowners and renters insurance policies don\u2019t cover flood damage, FEMA says. And unexpected flood events \u2014 such as ponding or sewer backup \u2014 can happen far from waterways.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s also a \u201cdon\u2019t lean on me\u201d warning: It\u2019s best not to bank on FEMA and federal disaster aid to bail us out, FEMA says, as the president must declare a disaster to set aid in motion, and it usually comes as a loan that must be repaid with interest.<\/p>\n<p>So, when all is said and done, we\u2019re not sure dams pose the greatest risks in a Super El Nino scenario; we already have enough mudslide, landslide and regular flooding risk to go around. If you want protection, inquire about flood insurance through your regular insurance agent and\/or insurer, as well as at the  (quotes at https:\/\/www.floodsmart.gov\/policy-quote).<\/p>\n<p>Word to the wise: Flood insurance policies often require a 30-day waiting period before kicking in. So if you\u2019re worried about an uber-wet winter, you might want to get cracking. The roughly $1,400 quote for $200,000 coverage on building and $75,000 on contents seems to hold true.<\/p>\n<p>Please see the online version of this story for an interactive map with information on all of California\u2019s dams from the USACE.<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=8711\">Advocacy group sues Trump administration over access to abortion for veterans<\/a><\/p>\n<p>And, Julia, we hope this helped.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Columnist Teri Sforza writes: We&#8217;re digging into all this because of a nudge we got from Julia, a reader in Fountain Valley, who lives near the Santa Ana River.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion-columnist","category-represents-the-opinion-of-the-author-who-is-either-a-paid-columnist-or-an-unpaid-guest-columnist"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - 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