Fullerton Dam, constructed, operated and maintained by the Corps of Engineers (COE), is a single purpose flood control project. The dam is located in the eastern part of the city of Fullerton just west of the 57 Freeway and Bastanchury Road crossing. Construction on the dam began in June 1940 and was completed in May 1941. Fullerton Dam, one of the units of the flood-control project for the San Gabriel River Basin and Orange County, California, was conceived under authorization of the Flood Control Act of 22 June 1936.
Fullerton Dam controls 5.0 square miles of drainage area of Fullerton Creek and its tributaries. Fullerton Creek generally flows southwesterly into the reservoir. Below the dam, the creek flows southwesterly through the southeast portion of the city of Fullerton, then turns due west near Harbor Boulevard. The creek continues to flow westward through the city of Buena Park and La Palma until joining Coyote Creek, a tributary of the San Gabriel river.
Fullerton Dam consists of : (1) an earthfilled embankment; (2) a reinforced concrete outlet works; (3) an ungated outlet; (4) a detached spillway; and (5) reservoir.
The stand-by gate setting for the dam is currently 2 gates open at 1.1 feet. The regulation schedule at the dam during flood events is based on a combination of precipitation at the Fullerton Dam station during the preceding 30-minute period, current water surface elevation and the downstream channel capacity at Richmond Avenue. Each parameter is evaluated as to its magnitude, correlated to the regulation schedule, thus resulting in a desired discharge from the dam.
The downstream channel reach is about 11 miles long and drains 15.9 square miles of generally urban area. The channel capacity immediately downstream of the dam is 500 cfs as provided by a rectangular reinforced concrete channel. Downstream channel capacity varies widely throughout the reach to Coyote Creek. The capacities range from 500 cfs to 7,500 cfs with channel configurations varying from a box to rectangular to trapezoidal. The channel capacity at Richmond Avenue is 2,900 cfs.
The current water control manual for Fullerton Dam was approved in May 1989.
FULLERTON DAM AND RESERVOIR
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
PERTINENT DATA - JUNE 2016
Operational Objectives
Flood Control
Original Completion Date
March-1941
Authorized as part of SAR
Stream System
Brea Creek
LACDA, drains to San Gabriel River
Drainage Area
5.0
mi2
Significant Upstream Flood Control Facilities3
None
DSAC Rating
4
Reservoir:
Elevation
Local Datum
+1.54 ft =
NAVD 1988
Original Streambed Elecation2
261.0
ft
262.5
Intake Invert2
261.0
ft
262.5
Spillway crest
290.0
ft
291.5
Revised Spillway design surcharge level3
298.4
ft
299.9
Top of dam4
307.0
ft
308.5
Area1
Spillway crest
62
acres
Spillway design surcharge level3
92
acres
Top of dam
130
acres
Capacity, Gross1
Spill way crest
764
af
Spill way design surcharge level3
1,394
af
Top of dam
2,306
af
Allowance for sediment (50-year)2
230
af
Dam
Type:
Earthfill
Height above streambed
46
ft
Top length
575
ft
Top width
15
ft
Spillway2
Type:
Detached Concrete Ogee Weir on left under Associated Rd.
Crest length
40
ft
Original Design freeboard
8.6
ft
Revised PMF available freeboard3
5.5
ft
Outlets2
Type:
Right Abutment
Uncontrolled
Number and size
1 - 3.0' W x 2' H
ft
Entrance invert elevation
275
ft
276.5
Controlled
Gate type
Screw-Stem Hoist Vertical Lift
Number and size
2 - 3' W x 5' H
ft
Entrance & Exit invert elevations
261 & 260.4
ft
262.5 & 261.9
Conduits
Conduit capacity limits max. outflow
Number and size
1 - 4'W x 6'H
ft
Length
1 - 4'W x 6'H
ft
Maximum conduit capacity at spillway crest
590
cfs
Maximum schedule release4
500
cfs
Length
500
cfs
Reservoir Design Flood ➜
Original2
Resived SPP3
Duration (Inflow)
5
days
1.75
Total volume
1,730
af
1,750
Inflow peak
4,600
cfs
2,100
Outflow peak
240
cfs
1,250
Maximum water surface elevation
289.7 (291.2 NAVD)
ft
293.8 (295.3 NAVD)
Routed with 1989 WCM regulation schedule4
289.7 (291.2 NAVD)
ft
293.8 (295.3 NAVD)
Spillway Design Flood ➜
Original2
Resived PMP2
Duration (Inflow)
1
days
9 hrs
Total volume
2,290
af
1,820
Inflow peak
9,300
cfs
16,000
Outflow peak
3,640
cfs
5,650
Maximum water surface elevation
298.4 (299.9 NAVD)
ft
301.5 (303.0 NAVD)
Historic Maximums
Date
Local Datum
NAVD 1988
Maximum water surface elevation
1/31/1979
285.6
ft
287.1 NAVD
Maximum storage (27% full)
1/31/1979
522.5
af
Maximum 1-hr Inflow
3/14/1941
3,800
cfs
Maximum release
3/1/1983
444
cfs
*This is prior to dam completion
1. Based on June 1970 survey
2. East Fullerton Creek Improvement, Fullerton Dam Analysis of Design, January 1940
3. Interim Rpt, Review of Design Features of Existing Dams, H&H Review, Prado, Brea, Fullerton & Salinas, November 1969
4. Fullerton Dam Water Control Manual, May 1989