Audit finds dozens of California dams in poor condition ahead of wet winter
A state audit found 57 California dams in poor or unsatisfactory condition, with the riskiest ones concentrated near densely populated coastal cities. The report says the state has had authority to penalize negligent dam owners since 2017 but has never used it, and repairs could cost billions. An El Niño winter could increase pressure on aging dams that may endanger many people and cause significant economic damage if they fail.
California’s dam safety office oversees more than 1,220 dams, most satisfactory. As of May, 57 were rated poor or unsatisfactory, a count expected to grow as officials reassess older structures.
Forty high- or extremely high-hazard dams cluster near populous coastal areas; failure scenarios could affect up to 1.5 million people and $265 billion in damage. Regulators gained penalty authority in 2017, after Oroville’s spillway failure led to evacuating nearly 200,000 people, but no penalties have been imposed, even after 44 dams were referred by April.
If heavy rains stress aging dams, residents in the Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles could face evacuation or flood risk, while local governments, utilities, and water agencies may confront costly repairs and difficult funding choices. The audit’s findings may increase pressure on state regulators to use existing enforcement tools and on lawmakers to address maintenance backlogs, though actual outcomes depend on weather, budgets, and owner responses.