Lake Success spillway project completed, boosting flood protection and water storage

PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KFSN) -- After decades of planning and construction, the Richard L. Schafer Dam Spillway at Lake Success is officially complete.

Leaders say this large reservoir will dramatically improve flood control, protecting homes and lives in the area.

This is a historic milestone for our community," said Congressman Vince Fong. "We not only built a new emergency spillway, but we raised this dam ten feet, that is more water storage for us."

The improvements will increase the lake's storage capacity by 28,000 acre-feet, bringing the total to 112,000 acre-feet.

"What that really means is 9.8 billion gallons of water, additional water storage that we can now hold in this lake so it's critical for us," explains Fong.

Not only lowering flood risks but also for future farming use.

"When we have atmospheric flooding, when we have those storms, now we have the capability and capacity to store that water not only to protect our community but to use it when we need it," mentions Fong.

The total cost of the project was $135 million.

Worth every penny, considering the dam would have been helpful during the floods in 2023.

"It just probably reinforced the fact, the vision of Dick Shafer to put this structure in, it just kinda hit home that we need this structure," said Brig. Gen. James Handura, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division. "In 2023, they were still building this so it wasnt able to operate the way it needed to, so once again a reminder of the importances of why it needed to be done."

To learn more about the project, visit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website.

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