Dam Safety and Preparedness
The Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District is a special-purpose district created by local voters in 1956 to acquire and construct facilities for flood control and the drainage of flood and storm waters, and for the conservation of those waters.
The District operates six dams under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Water Resources. A system of flood control dams and reservoirs east of the Central Fresno County area intercepts, routes, and stores floodwater.
The Department of Water Resources Division of Safety of Dams has classified six of the District’s flood control structures as dams. They provide flood protection to the Central Fresno County area and beyond, including land prone to floods.
Dam Failure Response Planning by the District
The District is developing plans with local public safety agencies to respond to the extremely unlikely event of a dam failure. In such an event, evacuation warnings and instructions will come from the emergency response agencies in your area, such as police and fire departments or the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department.