Terminus Dam, Embankment dam in Tulare County, California, United States.

Terminus Dam is an embankment dam that holds back the Kaweah River to create Lake Kaweah in central California. The structure serves both power generation and flood control purposes for the surrounding region.

Construction was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944 and completed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1962. The project was built to address flooding concerns and meet growing electricity demands in California.

The construction site of Terminus Dam revealed numerous Native American artifacts, which the National Park Service preserved before the excavation began.

The site is generally accessible to the public, with the adjacent Lake Kaweah offering recreational activities like fishing and boating. It is wise to check local conditions before visiting since water levels fluctuate seasonally.

The dam takes its name from the site's earlier role as the terminus of a railroad line running from Visalia. In 1948, before construction, an archaeological survey of the future reservoir bed uncovered a rich collection of Native American artifacts; two Yokuts villages were excavated in 1950 and many objects were removed before the valley was flooded.