Friant Dam, Gravity dam and hydroelectric power station in Fresno County, United States

Friant Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the San Joaquin River, rising in tan rectangular panels with two spillway chutes on its upper left face. A low parapet runs along the crest, where a dark metal gantry stands near the center. The dam impounds Millerton Lake, a 4,900-acre reservoir about 15 miles north of Fresno.

Friant Dam was built between 1937 and 1942 as the central feature of the federal Central Valley Project, authorized by the 1935 Rivers and Harbors Act. More than 50,000 people attended the groundbreaking on November 5, 1939. The main wall was topped out on June 16, 1942, after wartime limits slowed work; Millerton Lake began filling on February 21, 1944, and Governor Earl Warren dedicated the dam on July 9, 1949.

The reservoir and canals take their names from the town of Friant and from Millerton, the first county seat of Fresno County, which now lies beneath Millerton Lake. At the 1949 dedication, Governor Earl Warren said the project's water would help the San Joaquin Valley become "a modern Eden".

Millerton Lake provides opportunities for swimming and fishing along its shores and recreational areas. Visitors should be prepared for intense heat and bring sun protection when spending time in this region.

Two major canals carry water far beyond the dam site: the Madera Canal runs northward while the Friant-Kern Canal extends southward. This infrastructure connects multiple counties in a network that spans hundreds of kilometers.