Seven Oaks Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Seven Oaks Reservoir is a reservoir
on the Santa Ana River
in San Bernardino County, California
, about 8 miles (12.9 km) northeast of the city of Redlands
. The reservoir is formed by Seven Oaks Dam
, which was completed in 1999.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers
built the zoned earth-and-rock-fill dam
at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains
to protect against flood
ing in the eastern portion of the Greater Los Angeles Area
. Its maximum height is 550 feet (168 m) above the pre-existing streambed and 650 feet (198 m) above the lowest portion of the foundation. The reservoir is medium-sized at 147970 acre.ft, though it is a bit large for a reservoir whose sole purpose is flood control, which means that water is released as soon as safely possible, while still slow enough to allow water to seep into the streambed, recharging the groundwater
aquifer
. Also, releases are coordinated with Prado Dam
, which is 40 miles (60 km) downstream.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
on the Santa Ana River
Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river of Southern California in the United States. Its drainage basin spans four counties. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows past the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, before cutting through the northern tip of the Santa Ana Mountains and...
in San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
, about 8 miles (12.9 km) northeast of the city of Redlands
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
. The reservoir is formed by Seven Oaks Dam
Seven Oaks Dam
The Seven Oaks Dam is located on the Santa Ana River, 4 miles northeast of Redlands, California. It was constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as a flood control dam. The dam sits virtually on top of the San Andreas Fault and is designed to withstand a magnitude 8.0...
, which was completed in 1999.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
built the zoned earth-and-rock-fill dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains
San Bernardino Mountains
The San Bernardino Mountains are a short transverse mountain range north and east of San Bernardino in Southern California in the United States. The mountains run for approximately 60 miles east-west on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert in southwestern San Bernardino County, north of the...
to protect against flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing in the eastern portion of the Greater Los Angeles Area
Greater Los Angeles Area
The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is a term used for the Combined Statistical Area sprawled over five counties in the southern part of California, namely Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Ventura County...
. Its maximum height is 550 feet (168 m) above the pre-existing streambed and 650 feet (198 m) above the lowest portion of the foundation. The reservoir is medium-sized at 147970 acre.ft, though it is a bit large for a reservoir whose sole purpose is flood control, which means that water is released as soon as safely possible, while still slow enough to allow water to seep into the streambed, recharging the groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
. Also, releases are coordinated with Prado Dam
Prado Dam
Prado Dam is an earth-fill dam across the Santa Ana River at the Chino Hills near Corona, California in Riverside County with the resulting impounded water creating Prado Flood Control Basin reservoir. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the dam in Lower Santa Ana River Canyon...
, which is 40 miles (60 km) downstream.