SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District conducted routine inspections at four of its dams Dec. 5, 2024, following a reported 7.0 magnitude earthquake event off the coast of Northern California.
Crews inspected Black Butte, Englebright, North Fork, and Daguerre Point dams and they are all operating safely and as designed, with no issues or concerns noted by dam operators.
USACE policy requires post-seismic inspections for its project structures based upon the intensity or magnitude of a seismic event and the distance at which the event occurred from a project structure. The inspections are performed to ensure the safe performance and integrity of dams immediately following seismic activity.
Routine annual inspections are also conducted at all projects to make informed decisions about dam operation and maintenance. The Sacramento District’s Dam Safety Program includes 17 dams within California’s Central Valley and within Seismic Zones 3 and 4.
“Seismic Zones have been defined across the United States to identify areas prone to varying degrees of seismicity,” explained Daniel Vellone, the district’s Dam Safety Program Manager. “Seismic Zone 3 consists of areas that are expected to experience some seismic-induced ground acceleration, while Zone 4 generally consists of areas that may be more prone to higher ground accelerations or near active fault lines,” Vellone explained.
Sacramento District engineering and operations personnel continuously collaborate to ensure the projects perform as designed and serve their purpose as vital infrastructure for flood risk management, water supply, environmental stewardship, debris management, and recreation.
For more information about the USACE Sacramento District’s Dam Safety Program, visit https://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Dam-Safety.
Release no. 24-021