The City of San Diego released water from Lake Hodges last week after this month's series of storms raised the reservoir to a level that triggered a state-mandated safety release, officials announced Wednesday.

Recent rainfall pushed the Hodges Reservoir beyond the 280-foot elevation threshold set by the California Division of Safety of Dams. That limit — 35 feet below the dam's spillway — is maintained to protect downstream communities and ensure the dam operates safely. City staff coordinated with the Santa Fe Irrigation District and the San Dieguito Water District to direct the controlled release into the San Dieguito River while minimizing downstream impacts.

The Lake Hodges Dam was built in 1918 and purchased by the City of San Diego in 1925. In a September 2025 inspection, the state's dam safety board rated the dam's condition as "unsatisfactory" — the lowest rating available — and listed the potential for downstream hazards in the event of a failure as "extremely high." The reservoir covers 1,234 acres and holds up to 30,251 acre-feet of water.

The city had previously been planning to replace the aging structure entirely, but those plans are under re-evaluation after cost estimates rose sharply — from an initial projection of roughly $275 million to as much as $697 million.

For East County residents who endured flooding and drainage problems during this week's three-storm weather system, the Lake Hodges release underscores how heavily the season's rainfall has tested regional infrastructure. The storms that soaked Santee and surrounding communities dumped enough water to push reservoirs across the county to or beyond capacity.