| Iron Canyon Dam | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Location | Shasta County, California |
| Coordinates | 41°02′30″N121°59′06″W / 41.04180°N 121.98488°W |
| Purpose | Power |
| Opening date | 1965 |
| Operator(s) | Pacific Gas and Electric Company |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Earth fill dam |
| Height | 214 ft (65 m) |
| Length | 1,038 ft (316 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Iron Canyon Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 24,300 acre⋅ft (30,000,000 m3) |
| Surface area | 510 acres (210 ha) |
Iron Canyon Dam (National ID # CA00417) is a dam in Shasta County, California, United States.
The earthen rockfill dam was constructed in 1965 by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company for hydroelectric power, with a height of 214 feet (65 m) and a length of 1,038 feet (316 m) at its crest. [1] It impounds Iron Canyon Creek. The dam is owned and operated by PG&E. The downstream James Black Powerhouse, one of the largest in the company's system, produces 208,000 mechanical horsepower. [2]
The reservoir the dam creates, Iron Canyon Reservoir, is surrounded by the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. It has a water surface of 510 acres (210 ha), a shoreline of approximately 15 miles (24 km), and has a capacity of 24,300 acre-feet (30,000,000 m3). [1] Recreation includes fishing (for trout), hunting, camping,p and hiking. [3]
Water is diverted from the McCloud River at Lake McCloud about 20 miles (32 km) south of Mount Shasta, through a tunnel to Iron Canyon Reservoir, and then through another tunnel to the James B. Black Powerhouse, which outlets into the Pit River on the upper end of Pit Six Reservoir.