Casitas Dam is an earthfill dam across Coyote Creek

Coyote Creek (Ventura County)

Coyote Creek is a stream in Ventura County, California, United States which feeds Lake Casitas. It is a major tributary of the Ventura River....

 that forms Lake Casitas

Lake Casitas

Lake Casitas is an artificial lake in the Los Padres National Forest of Ventura County, California, created by the construction of Casitas Dam on Coyote Creek, two miles before it joins the Ventura River. Santa Ana Creek and North Fork Coyote Creek also flow into the lake. The dam was constructed...

 in the Los Padres National Forest

Los Padres National Forest

Los Padres National Forest is a forest located in southern and central California, which includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast from Ventura to Monterey, extending inland...

 of Ventura County, California

Ventura County, California

Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...

 near Ojai, California

Ojai, California

Ojai is a city in Ventura County, California, USA. It is situated in the Ojai Valley , surrounded by hills and mountains. The population was 7,461 at the 2010 census, down from 7,862 at the 2000 census.-History:Chumash Indians were the early inhabitants of the valley...

. The dam is located two miles (3 km) above the junction of Coyote Creek and the Ventura River

Ventura River

The Ventura River is a river in Ventura County, California. The river forms at the confluence of Matilija Creek and North Fork Matilija Creek, upstream from the Pacific Ocean...

. Water from the Ventura River is diverted to Lake Casitas as well. The 334 ft (101.8 m) structure was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. It is a key part of the Ventura River Project. Construction was completed in 1959. Lake Casitas has a 254000 acre.ft storage capacity and provides irrigation

Irrigation

Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...

 and municipal uses for the Casitas Municipal Water District.