United Water Conservation District’s $314 million Santa Felicia Dam Safety Improvement Project is fully designed and ready for construction once funding and federal approvals are secured. The modernization effort is considered “shovel‑ready” and represents one of the most significant infrastructure projects affecting Piru and downstream Ventura County communities.
Santa Felicia Dam is classified as an extremely high hazard facility by the California Division of Safety of Dams, a designation based on the potential consequences of failure rather than visible structural deterioration. United Water’s inundation modeling shows that a worst‑case failure could impact communities from Piru across the Oxnard Plain, with more than 70,000 acres potentially exposed to flooding.
The planned upgrades include construction of a new outlet works system engineered to withstand a magnitude 7.2 Maximum Credible Earthquake, raising the dam crest by approximately 6.5 feet, and expanding spillway capacity to safely pass extreme flood events. According to United Water, these improvements would reduce downstream flood impacts by roughly 80% and lower estimated economic damages from approximately $16 billion to under $2 billion.
United Water’s February 2026 project update identified seismic vulnerabilities in the existing outlet works and spillway limitations under modern inflow design flood standards. The district emphasized that the dam’s hazard classification reflects the scale of potential downstream impacts, not visible deterioration of the structure.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has completed an Environmental Assessment for the project, finding that the proposed improvements — with appropriate environmental protections — would not significantly affect the environment. FERC approval is required before construction can begin.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a $13 million WIFIA loan to support planning and design, with a future loan under the same master agreement expected to help finance construction. United Water has stated that construction will begin once full funding is secured and final federal approvals are issued. No construction start date has been announced.
Located five miles north of Piru on Piru Creek, the dam’s safety status directly influences local flood risk and the long‑term future of Lake Piru recreation. With design work complete, the district is now focused on securing the remaining funding needed to move the project into the construction phase.
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Sources
- United Water Conservation District
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- California Division of Safety of Dams