Rindge Dam

The 100ft Rindge Dam on Malibu Creek is located in Malibu Creek State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains, about three miles from the Malibu coastline in southern California. Situated just northeast of Malibu Canyon Road, it is partially visible from the turnouts south of the tunnel.HistoryThe main concrete arch of the Rindge Dam was completed in 1924. The spillway of the dam was finished in 1926. The dam was built by hired workers of May Knight Rindge, who owned the Malibu Ranch, the former Rancho Topanga Malibu Sequit, at that time. The frame of the dam was constructed out of the rails of a 15-mile railroad that went through the Malibu Ranch, after it was dismantled. The dual walls of the dam were built into an already-existing rock monolith in the center of Malibu Creek; the only place they meet is at the top.The behind the dam have been completely filled with sediment since around 1950, which creates a waterfall from Malibu Creek. The dam became incorporated into Malibu Creek State Park in 1976.Conservation — demolitionFish advocates have called for the dam's removal because it is blocking Steelhead trout from accessing the upper reaches of the Malibu Creek watershed. Others have campaigned in vain for the designation of the Rindge Dam as a California Historical Landmark. The Rindge Dam is property of the California Department of Parks and Recreation and the structure has been in disrepair for decades. The dam was declared off-limits to the public in 2014.