Savage Dam

Across the Otay River stands Savage Dam, a silent guardian of San Diego’s water supply. It’s a concrete arch gravity dam, a testament to human ingenuity and resilience. Savage Dam holds back the waters of the Lower Otay Reservoir. This reservoir, nestled in the San Ysidro Mountains, stretches across 1,090 acres when full. The dam itself rises an impressive 149 feet and spans 750 feet in length. But Savage Dam wasn’t always the sturdy structure we see today. Before Savage Dam, there was the Otay Dam, an earthfill and steel structure completed in 1897. This original dam met a tragic end in 1916. Heavy rains, possibly amplified by the controversial “rainmaker” Charles Hatfield, caused the dam to burst. A devastating wall of water, 40 feet high, surged downstream. It wreaked havoc, destroying buildings and bridges, carrying debris all the way to San Diego Bay. Eleven Japanese American farmers tragically lost their lives. The disaster led to the construction of the current dam in 1918. It was named Savage Dam in honor of H. N. Savage, who oversaw its construction. Savage Dam serves a vital purpose. It stores water from the San Diego Aqueduct’s third pipeline. This provides a crucial backup water supply for the San Diego metropolitan area, a safeguard against future droughts. The dam is a reminder of the power of nature and the importance of preparation. It’s also a testament to human perseverance, a symbol of how we rebuild and learn from past tragedies. Savage Dam stands as a silent protector. It’s a guardian against thirst, a monument to ingenuity, and a somber reminder of the past.