What's New

Lauro Dam Seismic Upgrade Complete

To reduce the long-term risks of earthquake damage, a seismic upgrade was undertaken at Lauro Dam. Construction, which started in November 2005 and completed about one year later, consisted of the installation of sand and gravel layers within the downstream portion of the dam.

The layers prevent movement of clay core materials, as well as providing a means to collect and channel any seepage.

An earthquake fault lies within a portion of the dam foundation, and because of this, movement could occur in the event of a major quake. Movement along the foundation could cause the dam crest to crack and the water to erode and breach the embankment. The seismic upgrade is intended to prevent this from happening or at least minimize the damage.

Lauro Dam and Reservoir are located in the foothills on the north edge of the City of Santa Barbara. The dam, an earthfill structure 99 feet high and 540 feet long with a crest width of 30 feet, was built in 1952. Lauro Reservoir has a water storage capacity of 640 acre-feet.