Salt Springs Dam
| Company type | Hydroelectric dam |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hydroelectric power |
| Founded | 1931 |
| Headquarters | Amador County and Calaveras County , United States |
| Products | Hydroelectric energy |
| Owner | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) |
Salt Springs Reservoir is an artificial lake positioned within the eastern regions of both Amador County and Calaveras County, California. It lies in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, roughly east-northeast of Jackson. Nestled inside the Eldorado National Forest at an altitude of , the reservoir has a storage capacity of .
This body of water is impounded by Salt Springs Dam, a concrete-faced rock-fill structure standing tall on the North Fork of the Mokelumne River. Constructed in 1931, the dam is owned by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and serves solely for hydroelectric energy production. The reservoir supplies water to the 44 MW Salt Springs Powerhouse through a short pipeline. Although some water flows back downstream, a significant portion is diverted via the Tiger Creek Conduit to other generating stations within PG&E's Mokelumne River Project (FERC Project 137).
During its lifespan, Salt Springs Dam has encountered structural issues attributed to inadequate compaction of foundation rock during its initial construction, resulting in cracks and seepage through its concrete face. To mitigate these leaks, a flexible geomembrane was applied over affected sections, with this remediation completed in 2005.
Presently, evaluations are underway to determine the feasibility of utilizing this dam as the lower reservoir in a proposed pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme with a capacity between 380 and 1,140 MW, which would incorporate Bear River Dam as the upper reservoir.