Sugar Pine Dam
Dam in Northern California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sugar Pine Dam is an earthfill embankment dam in Placer County, California, approximately 7 miles (11 km) north of Foresthill.[1] It impounds North Shirttail Creek, a tributary of the North Fork American River, and serves as the primary municipal water supply for the Foresthill community.
| Sugar Pine Dam | |
|---|---|
Sugar Pine Dam from the air | |
 Interactive map of Sugar Pine Dam | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Northern California |
| Coordinates | 39°7′47″N 120°48′5″W |
| Construction began | 1979 |
| Opening date | 1982 |
| Construction cost | $71 million |
| Owner | Foresthill Public Utility District |
| Operator | Foresthill Public Utility District |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Earth fill dam |
| Impounds | North Shirttail Creek |
| Height | 205 ft (62 m) |
| Length | 689 ft (210 m) |
| Width (base) | 984 ft (300 m) |
| Dam volume | 987,500 ft3 (27,960 m3) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Sugar Pine Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 6,921 acre⋅ft (8,537,000 m3) |
| Surface area | 165 acres (67 ha)[1] |
| Normal elevation | 3,609 ft (1,100 m)[2] |
History
The dam was authorized in 1965 as part of the Auburn-Folsom South Unit of the Central Valley Project.[1][3] Construction began in 1979, and the dam was completed in 1982. The project was transferred to the Foresthill Public Utility District for operation and maintenance in 1984.[1] Although Sugar Pine Dam was funded through the Central Valley Project, it was never integrated into the project operationally, as it was intended to work with the never-completed Auburn Dam.[3] The Sugar Pine Pipeline carries water from Sugar Pine Reservoir to the Foresthill area.[1]
In 2003, the Foresthill Public Utility District purchased Sugar Pine Dam, reservoir, and the pipeline from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for $3.1 million.[4] As of 2012[update], the district provides water to 1,875 homes and 75 businesses in and around Foresthill.[3]
