Follow the path of California's first major water project that stretched from Mono Lake to Southern California, delivering the Owens River to support the growth & population of Los Angeles.
Historic American Engineering Record: Los Angeles AqueductChris Austin
This is the information for the Los Angeles Aqueduct that is on file at the Historic American Engineering Record at the Library of Congress. This material is in the public domain; no copyright claim is made or assumed by Chris Austin or Mavens Manor Productions.
Historic American Engineering Record: Colorado River AqueductChris Austin
This is the information for the Colorado River Aqueduct that is on file at the Historic American Engineering Record at the Library of Congress. This material is in the public domain; no copyright claim is made or assumed by Chris Austin or Mavens Manor Productions.
Historic American Engineering Record: Los Angeles AqueductChris Austin
This is the information for the Los Angeles Aqueduct that is on file at the Historic American Engineering Record at the Library of Congress. This material is in the public domain; no copyright claim is made or assumed by Chris Austin or Mavens Manor Productions.
Historic American Engineering Record: Colorado River AqueductChris Austin
This is the information for the Colorado River Aqueduct that is on file at the Historic American Engineering Record at the Library of Congress. This material is in the public domain; no copyright claim is made or assumed by Chris Austin or Mavens Manor Productions.
Plastic marine debris sources, distribution and impacts on coastal and ocean ...Prabhakar Pawar
Marine debris is a globally recognized environmental issue of increasing concern. Marine ecosystems worldwide are affected by human-made refuse, much of which is plastic. Marine debris includes consumer items such as glass or plastic bottles, cans, bags, balloons, rubber, metal, fiberglass, cigarettes, and other manufactured materials that end up in the ocean and along the coast. It also includes fishing gear such as line, ropes, hooks, buoys and other materials lost on or near land, or intentionally or unintentionally discarded at sea. Debris in oceans and seas is an aesthetic problem, it incurs considerable costs and can have severe impacts on marine organisms and habitats. This review focuses on plastic marine debris with respect to: (1) definition and types; (2) sources and distribution; (3) environmental impacts on coastal and ocean biodiversity; and (4) effective solutions to tackle the plastic marine debris.
Key words: Plastic marine debris, entanglement, ingestion, marine environment, pollution.
On November 11, Typhoon Ulysses (international name: Typhoon Vamco) made landfall in the Philippines and caused widespread damage to eight provinces in the island group of Luzon. The most notable flooding events were in Marikina City in Metro Manila, adjacent Rizal province, and in Region 2 or Cagayan Valley in northeastern Luzon. This study analyzes the flooding events in these localities to identify key factors and how to mitigate risk. Four main determinants stand out: (1) the degradation of natural watersheds (2) the marginalization of the poor that render them vulnerable and exposed to disasters, (3) stop-gap solutions that do not address the roots of our disaster vulnerability, and (4) that the national government remains unprepared for disaster. Policy priorities among other reforms are recommended based on this assessment.
Water is Wealth - Solving Baguio City's Water Crisis by Mita Angela M. Dimalanta, Pine Cone Movement, Soroptimist International of Pines City, University of the Philippines, Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary, Baguio We Want Trees & Water Sector
The aquifer system covers about 1400 to 1800 sq.km.
In general, the aquifers consist of the upper water table aquifer up to 30 m depth and the lower artesian aquifer of more than 500 m thickness, separated by semi-confining layer with thickness of up to 45 m.
A 74 slide presentation about the War of 1812. Brief goes from the causes of the war from the end the American Revolution to Tippecanoe and ends with the Battle of New Orleans.
Posted 01.24.11 | PERMALINK | PRINT
Essay: Karen Piper
Dreams, Dust and Birds: The Trashing of Owens Lake
Construction of the Jawbone siphon of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, 1912. [courtesy of the Joseph Barlow Lippincott collection, UC Berkeley Water Resources Center Archives]
Manufacturing Dust
The dry bed of what was once Owens Lake contains the detritus of Los Angeles’s fantasies. Starting in 1913, the City of Los Angeles, which historian Kevin Starr has called “the most exquisite invented garden in history,” gradually drained the enormous lake, located two hundred miles to the north of the city. [1] It was a monumental act of engineering: an aqueduct was constructed and then, like a garden hose that was picked up and moved, the Owens River was shifted, so that instead of watering Owens Lake it was watering Los Angeles. In this way the Owens River also began to supply an emerging area called “Hollywoodland,” its water used to create, in the arid landscape of Southern California, a version of the English Lake District. The river fed by the lake supplied 100 percent of Los Angeles’s water, and as a result the 110-square-mile lake gradually dried up and became a howling wasteland of toxic dust. The farmers of Owens Valley fought tenaciously to keep their lake and their river, even resorting to dynamiting the aqueduct (a drama depicted in Chinatown). But they lost.
I grew up near Owens Lake, and I breathed in its dust for close to 20 years. I remember that the experience of walking on the lakebed felt like walking on the moon, with its white crusty surface pocked by shadowy craters and peaks of crumbling crystallized salt. Unfortunately, this dust is not the kind that you can simply breathe out. It has been shown to embed itself in the lungs for life, and it is carcinogenic. In 1987 the Environmental Protection Agency declared Owens lakebed to be the worst dust pollution problem in the United States, affecting around 50,000 people. By then the dangers of this kind of fine dust were well known. But it's a complicated story, of course, and to those of us who have followed it — lived it — the decision about whom to help and whom to hurt had already been made, decades ago. In 1906 President Theodore Roosevelt decided that the waters of Owens River should go to Los Angeles because the city was where it would do the “greatest good for the greatest number.” “This water is more valuable to the people as a whole,” he said, “if used by the city than if used by the people of the Owens Valley.” [2] Over the decades the people of the Owens Valley came to understand that the “people as a whole” did not include us.
So when in the late '80s the EPA mandated that the City of Los Angeles fix the problem of the Owens Valley, and do so within ten years, this came as a surprise. But the ensuing events suggest that the kind of engineering ingenuity that had once made it possible to move the waters was unavailable decades later for the equally large-scale job of.
Plastic marine debris sources, distribution and impacts on coastal and ocean ...Prabhakar Pawar
Marine debris is a globally recognized environmental issue of increasing concern. Marine ecosystems worldwide are affected by human-made refuse, much of which is plastic. Marine debris includes consumer items such as glass or plastic bottles, cans, bags, balloons, rubber, metal, fiberglass, cigarettes, and other manufactured materials that end up in the ocean and along the coast. It also includes fishing gear such as line, ropes, hooks, buoys and other materials lost on or near land, or intentionally or unintentionally discarded at sea. Debris in oceans and seas is an aesthetic problem, it incurs considerable costs and can have severe impacts on marine organisms and habitats. This review focuses on plastic marine debris with respect to: (1) definition and types; (2) sources and distribution; (3) environmental impacts on coastal and ocean biodiversity; and (4) effective solutions to tackle the plastic marine debris.
Key words: Plastic marine debris, entanglement, ingestion, marine environment, pollution.
On November 11, Typhoon Ulysses (international name: Typhoon Vamco) made landfall in the Philippines and caused widespread damage to eight provinces in the island group of Luzon. The most notable flooding events were in Marikina City in Metro Manila, adjacent Rizal province, and in Region 2 or Cagayan Valley in northeastern Luzon. This study analyzes the flooding events in these localities to identify key factors and how to mitigate risk. Four main determinants stand out: (1) the degradation of natural watersheds (2) the marginalization of the poor that render them vulnerable and exposed to disasters, (3) stop-gap solutions that do not address the roots of our disaster vulnerability, and (4) that the national government remains unprepared for disaster. Policy priorities among other reforms are recommended based on this assessment.
Water is Wealth - Solving Baguio City's Water Crisis by Mita Angela M. Dimalanta, Pine Cone Movement, Soroptimist International of Pines City, University of the Philippines, Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary, Baguio We Want Trees & Water Sector
The aquifer system covers about 1400 to 1800 sq.km.
In general, the aquifers consist of the upper water table aquifer up to 30 m depth and the lower artesian aquifer of more than 500 m thickness, separated by semi-confining layer with thickness of up to 45 m.
A 74 slide presentation about the War of 1812. Brief goes from the causes of the war from the end the American Revolution to Tippecanoe and ends with the Battle of New Orleans.
Posted 01.24.11 | PERMALINK | PRINT
Essay: Karen Piper
Dreams, Dust and Birds: The Trashing of Owens Lake
Construction of the Jawbone siphon of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, 1912. [courtesy of the Joseph Barlow Lippincott collection, UC Berkeley Water Resources Center Archives]
Manufacturing Dust
The dry bed of what was once Owens Lake contains the detritus of Los Angeles’s fantasies. Starting in 1913, the City of Los Angeles, which historian Kevin Starr has called “the most exquisite invented garden in history,” gradually drained the enormous lake, located two hundred miles to the north of the city. [1] It was a monumental act of engineering: an aqueduct was constructed and then, like a garden hose that was picked up and moved, the Owens River was shifted, so that instead of watering Owens Lake it was watering Los Angeles. In this way the Owens River also began to supply an emerging area called “Hollywoodland,” its water used to create, in the arid landscape of Southern California, a version of the English Lake District. The river fed by the lake supplied 100 percent of Los Angeles’s water, and as a result the 110-square-mile lake gradually dried up and became a howling wasteland of toxic dust. The farmers of Owens Valley fought tenaciously to keep their lake and their river, even resorting to dynamiting the aqueduct (a drama depicted in Chinatown). But they lost.
I grew up near Owens Lake, and I breathed in its dust for close to 20 years. I remember that the experience of walking on the lakebed felt like walking on the moon, with its white crusty surface pocked by shadowy craters and peaks of crumbling crystallized salt. Unfortunately, this dust is not the kind that you can simply breathe out. It has been shown to embed itself in the lungs for life, and it is carcinogenic. In 1987 the Environmental Protection Agency declared Owens lakebed to be the worst dust pollution problem in the United States, affecting around 50,000 people. By then the dangers of this kind of fine dust were well known. But it's a complicated story, of course, and to those of us who have followed it — lived it — the decision about whom to help and whom to hurt had already been made, decades ago. In 1906 President Theodore Roosevelt decided that the waters of Owens River should go to Los Angeles because the city was where it would do the “greatest good for the greatest number.” “This water is more valuable to the people as a whole,” he said, “if used by the city than if used by the people of the Owens Valley.” [2] Over the decades the people of the Owens Valley came to understand that the “people as a whole” did not include us.
So when in the late '80s the EPA mandated that the City of Los Angeles fix the problem of the Owens Valley, and do so within ten years, this came as a surprise. But the ensuing events suggest that the kind of engineering ingenuity that had once made it possible to move the waters was unavailable decades later for the equally large-scale job of.
The following set of slides were used by Chris McLindon in a presentation given to the New Orleans American Planning Association on August 31st, 2016. The presentation was made on behalf of the New Orleans Geological Society as part of an informal public outreach effort. You may reach Chris McLindon at chris_mclindon@att.net
M
isso
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i R
.
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io
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Gulf of Mexico
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▲Figure GN 14.1 Map of the Mississippi River basin.
409
GEOSYSTEMSnow
The Disappearing Delta Before modern engineering of the chan-
nel, the Mississippi River carried over 400 million metric tons of sedi-
ment annually to its mouth. River deposits built from this sediment
now underlie most of coastal Louisiana. Today, the flow carries less
than half its previous sediment load. This decline, combined with
land subsidence and sea-level rise, means that the delta region is
shrinking in size each year.
The tremendous weight of sediment deposition at the Mississip-
pi’s mouth has caused the entire delta region to lower as sediments
become compacted, a process that is worsened by human activities
such as oil and gas extraction. In the past, additions of sediment bal-
anced this subsidence, allowing the delta to build. With the onset
of human activities such as upstream dam construction, the delta is
now subsiding without sediment replenishment.
Compounding the problem is the maze of excavated canals
through the delta for shipping and oil and gas exploration. As the
land surface sinks, these canals allow seawater to flow inland,
changing the salinity of inland waters. Freshwater wetlands whose
roots help stabilize the land surface during floods are now declining.
This makes the delta more vulnerable to flooding from hurricane
storm surge, another factor hastening the delta’s demise.
Finally, sea-level rise threatens coastal land and wetlands, most
of which are less than 1 m (3.2 ft) above sea level. With continued
local sea-level rise, lands not protected by levee embankments and
other structures that prevent flooding will con-
tinue to submerge.
In this chapter, we examine the natural pro-
cesses by which rivers erode, transport, and de-
posit sediment, forming landforms such as deltas.
1. Why are engineers trying to keep the
Mississippi River in its present channel?
2. What three factors are causing the
Mississippi delta to disappear?
Changes on the
Mississippi River Delta
T
he immense Mississippi River basin
drains 41% of the continental United
States (Figure GN 14.1). From its head-
waters in Lake Itasca, Minnesota, the Missis-
sippi’s main stem flows southward, collecting
water and sediment over hundreds of miles.
As the river nears the Gulf of Mexico, the
flow energy diminishes and the river depos-
its its sediment load. This area of deposition
forms the delta, the low-lying plain at the
river’s end.
Like most rivers, the Mississippi continu-
ously changes its channel, seeking the short-
est and most efficient course to the ocean.
In southern Louisiana, the Mississippi’s chan-
nel has—over thousands of years—shifted
course across an area encompassing thou-
sands of square miles. Throughout this time
span, f ...
Historic American Engineering Record: San Francisco-Oakland Bay BridgeChris Austin
The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge construction is extensively documented at the Library of Congress with 20 drawings and over 400 photos. This slideshow assembles the information into a more accessible format. Enjoy!
The California Bay-Delta is just a tiny part of California, but a huge part of the conversation/argument about California water. Find out what it is and why it is so important in this picture-rich slideshow.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
3. In the early 1900‟s, William Mulholland, head of the new domestic
water works system for the city of Los Angeles, knew that the meager
Los Angeles River could not supply enough water for the city‟s
continued growth. He became convinced the only solution was to
bring the Owens River water to Los Angeles.
4. Water Resources Center Archives
University of California Berkeley
By using a system of open channels,
covered conduits tunnels and pressurized
pipelines, Mulholland and the other
aqueduct engineers developed a system to
deliver the water through the canyons and
rugged terrain of the Mojave Desert and
the Antelope Valley, delivering the water
to Los Angeles entirely by gravity flow.
Water Resources Center Archives
University of California Berkeley
5. Water Resources Center Archives
University of California Berkeley
Completed in 1913 at a cost of $22 million, the waters of the Owens River were
turned into the aqueduct and began flowing into Los Angeles for the first time.
6. Water Resources Center Archives
University of California Berkeley
The Los Angeles Aqueduct was the first
major water project built in California.
It was an amazing engineering feat at the
time, being second in size and
significance only to the Panama Canal.
7. Mulholland‟s original aqueduct system is still in use today, although the
system has been expanded from its original form.
In 1941, the Mono Basin project was
completed, extending the reach of the
aqueduct 105 miles further north to
bring water diverted from the Mono
basin into the aqueduct system.
Photo by Chris Austin
Photo by Chris Austin
The Second Los Angeles Aqueduct was
completed in 1970, further expanding the system
in order to take full advantage of the rights DWP
held in the Mono Basin. The project included
building a second aqueduct from Haiwee
Reservoir to the Cascades Facility in Sylmar,
thereby increasing the capacity of the system
by an additional 50%.
8. Photo by Chris Austin
Hydroelectric power
generation facilities along
the aqueduct have been
expanded over the years,
making the
Los Angeles Aqueduct
the only system conveying
water to Southern
California that is a both a
source of water and a
source of power
for the region.
9. Historically, the Los Angeles Aqueduct system has been the major source of
water supply for Los Angeles city residents.
However, in recent years, court-ordered restrictions, mandated uses for
mitigation projects and the on-going drought have reduced the amount of
water available to be exported to Los Angeles.
In 2009, the Los Angeles Aqueduct will supply just 23% of the city‟s water.
Photo by Chris Austin
10. The Owens Valley water has made the growth of Los Angeles possible,
but the dewatering of the Owens Valley has not been without its ill
effects on the Owens Valley, as well as on Mono Lake.
Photo by Chris Austin
11. The export of water south to Los Angeles decimated a
thriving agricultural community and dried up Owens
Lake. In later years, the extension of the aqueduct
system further northward threatened Mono Lake,
and increased groundwater pumping caused further
environmental degradation within the Owens Valley.
Water Resources Center Archives
University of California Berkeley
12. Photo by Chris Austin
Environmental mitigation for the
damage done has been litigated for
decades, and continues even today.
Currently, DWP is under court
mandated obligation to keep water in
the Lower Owens River and provide
dust control on the dry Owens Lake bed.
Additional mandates limit the amount of
water DWP can draw from the Mono
Lake basin, as well as require additional
restoration efforts on the lake‟s
tributaries.
13. Map of California‟s Rivers
and Water Systems
From the California Department of Water Resources
Top of the aqueduct
Mono Lake
Los Angeles
Aqueduct
This presentation is
intended to give a brief
overview of the
infrastructure and the
issues of the
Los Angeles aqueduct
system.
This presentation will
follow the path of the
aqueduct from
Mono Lake to
Southern California.
Starting at the top …
Terminus of the aqueduct
San Fernando Valley
California has many other water
projects as depicted on this map.
To learn more, click here:
http://aquafornia.com/wheredoes-californias-water-come-from
14. Mono
Lake
The Los Angeles Aqueduct system begins here, 338 miles north of Los
Angeles, at the remote Mono Lake, where DWP holds water rights to the
main tributaries of the lake.
Photo by Chris Austin
15. Mono Lake is the saline remnant of Lake Russell, an ancient freshwater lake
which filled the Mono Basin during the Pleistocene epoch.
For more about Pleistocene lakes, click here:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/464
579/Pleistocene-Epoch/70010/Lacustrineenvironments
Photo of Mono Lake by flickr photographer kla4067
16. Mono Lake has no outlet, so minerals and trace
elements present in the streams that feed into the
lake concentrate in the waters.
The lake has a ph of 10 and a salinity that is 2 to
3 times greater than that of the ocean.
Photo by Chris Austin
17. Although the water is too alkaline to
support fish, the brine shrimp and the
alkali flies are abundant, providing an
endless source of food supply for
migrating birds.
The Mono Lake watershed is home to
over 300 species of birds, mostly
migratory. Over 100 species nest here
as well, including the second largest
gull rookery in North America.
Photo by flickr photographer Rob Inh00d
Millions of birds arrive
between mid-summer and
fall to feast on the shrimp and
flies, gaining weight in
preparation for their long,
migratory flights.
Photo by flickr photographer Billtacular.
18. Mono Lake plays a vital role in the annual migration of birds between
North to South America, and is designated as part of the
Western Hemisphere Shorebird Network, a collection of critical migratory bird
habitats in North & South America.
With over 95% of California‟s wetlands gone,
Mono Lake‟ s importance has increased as it is one of the last remaining
"re-fueling" stops along the arid inland Pacific Fly-Way.
For more on the birds at Mono Lake, click here:
http://www.monolake.org/about/ecobirds
Photo by flickr photographer xeeliz
19. Mono Lake is also known for
its tufa towers, which are
formed when the calcium-rich
underwater springs mix with
the carbonate-rich lake water,
creating calcium carbonate
(limestone).
Photo by Chris Austin
The limestone precipitates
around the springs, and over
the course of decades or
longer, a tufa tower will grow.
Photo by flickr photographer pluckytree.
20. Photo by Chris Austin
Tufa towers only grow
underwater, where they can reach
heights of 30 feet or more.
Photo by Chris Austin
Find out more about Mono Lake‟s tufa towers
here: http://www.monolake.org/about/geotufa
21. In 1941, after completion of the
Mono Basin project, Los Angeles
Department of Water & Power
(DWP) began diverting most of the
tributaries to the lake.
Completion of the second aqueduct
in 1970 increased the capacity of the
aqueduct system, and diversions
from the basin increased
dramatically.
Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee
With the lake being deprived
of water, the shoreline began
to recede, exposing the tufa
towers.
By 1982, the water level had
declined by 45 feet , leaving
the tufa towers stranded and
exposing over 17,000 acres of
dried lakebed.
Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee
22. The ecology of the lake suffered as a result. The alkali flies and brine shrimp
the birds depended on were at risk, the islands that the birds used for nesting
became connected to land making them vulnerable to predators, and the
exposed lakebed caused numerous air quality violations.
Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee
23. Photo by Chris Austin
The Mono Lake Committee, the National Audubon Society,
Cal Trout and others filed suit on the theory that the shores, bed and waters of
Mono Lake were protected by the public trust doctrine, and that Los Angeles‟
diversion of water was in violation of that doctrine. The Supreme Court
eventually concluded that the DWP‟s water rights should be re-evaluated.
24. On September 28, 1994, the State Water Resources Board issued Decision
1631, which ordered DWP to halt diversions until the lake rose 3 feet. After
that, DWP was allowed to divert 15,000 acre-feet per year
until the lake reaches 6392 feet.
Once that point is reached, DWP will be
allowed to divert 30,000 acre-feet per
year, about 1/3 the amount they had
previously been diverting.
Photo by Chris Austin
25. Decision 1631 also ordered DWP to
develop restoration plans for streams
and waterfowl habitat.
Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee
26. As of October 1st, 2009, Mono Lake was at
6381.7 feet, which is still 9.3 feet below the
court mandated level.
Photo by Chris Austin
27. When that mandated level is reached, it will still be 25 feet lower than Mono
Lake was prior to the diversions, but it is expected to be enough to restore the
public trust values of “the purity of the air, the scenic views of the lake and
shore, and the use of the lake for nesting & feeding birds,” and to prevent further
degradation of the watershed.
Read more on Mono Lake Basin Water Right Decision 1631 here:
http://www.monobasinresearch.org/timelines/d1631.htm
Picture of Mono Lake by flickr photographer ryanophilly.
28. As part of DWP‟s Mono Basin project, four of
Mono Lake‟s tributaries creeks were tapped:
Rush, Lee Vining, Parker and Walker creeks.
Picture by flickr photograher calwest.
Lee Vining Creek is the
second largest tributary
to Mono Lake.
Picture by flickr photographer TTvo.
29. Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee.
The diversion dam on
Lee Vining Creek is located just
upstream of the ranger station.
It is here that water is diverted into
an 8-mile underground conduit that
conveys the water to
Grant Lake reservoir.
Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee.
30. Picture of Rush Creek by flickr photographer jcookfisher.
Rush Creek is Mono Lake‟s largest tributary.
31. Silver Lake
June Lakes Loop
Photo by Chris Austin
It flows from the high Sierra, filling numerous small alpine lakes
on its way to Mono Lake.
32. Photo by Chris Austin
The 47,500 acre-foot Grant Lake Reservoir lies in between
Rush Creek and Mono Lake, providing on-stream storage
for the waters of Rush Creek, as well as being the
termination point of the underground conduit bringing
water from the other diverted streams.
Water is either stored here, sent south to Los Angeles, or
released into Rush Creek.
33. One of the requirements of Decision 1631
required restoration of Rush Creek below
Grant Lake dam. However, the dam was
built to hold and divert water with the only
outlet for releasing water into Rush Creek
being over the spillway, which can only
happen in wetter years.
Photo from the Library of Congress, Historical American Engineering Record
34. Retrofitting the dam is an expensive
process, so the Water Board is
allowing DWP to try other methods
for delivering the required flows to
Rush Creek.
Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee.
35. Water leaves Grant Dam by
the aqueduct conduit, and
enters Mono Gate One,
where it is split between the
aqueduct and Rush Creek.
To Mono Lake
Rush Creek
Rush Creek
Return Ditch
Mono Gate One
Grant Lake Dam
36. Dewatered creek
This results in about one mile
of Rush Creek remaining
dewatered downstream of the
dam at Grant Lake.
Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee
37. This is Mono Gate One, where
water is returned to Rush
Creek from the aqueduct
conduit.
This facility has been unable
to meet the high flow targets
as mandated by Decision 1631
and is currently being
modified.
Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee
38. Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee
In the meantime, when it is
necessary to augment flows to
meet the mandated high flow
requirements for Rush Creek, a
portion of the water diverted
from Lee Vining Creek can be
diverted into Rush Creek
through a structure called the
5-Siphon Bypass.
39. The water for Rush Creek is released
into the Rush Creek Return Ditch,
which flows into the original creek
channel and then into Mono Lake.
Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee
40. Diagram by the Mono Lake Committee.
This diagram shows the complicated plumbing
for Rush Creek.
For more information, visit the Mono Lake Committee online:
http://www.monolake.org/
41. The aqueduct conduit then passes into the West Portal
of the Mono Craters tunnel, which sends the water
11.3 miles underneath a volcanic cone to deliver water
to the head of the Owens River.
42. Boring the tunnel was a difficult task due
to large amounts of groundwater, carbon
dioxide gas, and porous formations
requiring heavy steel & timber supports.
It took six years to complete.
Picture by USGS/C.D. Miller
Read more on the construction of the
Mono Crater Tunnels here:
http://www.monobasinresearch.org
/historical/monobasinproject.pdf
43. From the Library of Congress, Historic American Engineering Record.
44. The water flows out of the Mono Craters
tunnel …
Photo courtesy of the Mono Lake Committee
45. … and joins the headwaters of the Owens River,
flowing south towards Bishop.
Photo by flickr photographer acidwashtofu.
46. On the way, it flows past the Hot Creek Fish Hatchery,
created as compensation for fish losses as a result of the
building of the Grant Lake and Crowley Lake reservoirs.
Photo by flickr photographer oniondeath.
47. Photo by USGS
For more information on volcanic
activity in the area, visit the USGS at
http://lvo.wr.usgs.gov/
The hot springs at Hot Creek are a sign of the
ongoing volcanic processes in the region.
48. The water temperature of the
springs is ideal for trout
development. Each year, the Hot
Creek Fish Hatchery plants 3
million trout throughout the
Sierra Nevada, and provides 20
million eggs for other fish
hatcheries throughout the state.
Photo by flickr photographer oniondeath.
49. It is one of the most productive fish
hatcheries in California.
Photo by flickr photographer oniondeath.
Photo by flickr photographer oniondeath.
Find out more about California‟s fish
hatcheries here:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Hatche
ries/index.asp
50. The Owens River then flows into the
Crowley Lake reservoir.
Crowley
Lake
Photo by Chris Austin.
51. Photo by Chris Austin
The Long Valley Dam was built
as part of the Mono Basin project,
creating Crowley Lake reservoir.
Photo by Chris Austin
52. Photo by Chris Austin.
At 183,000-acre-feet, Crowley Lake is the largest reservoir in DWP‟s water
system, providing storage for the combined Mono basin & Owens River waters.
53. Crowley Lake is a popular fishing lake with a
premier trout fishery, attracting thousands of
anglers throughout the season.
Photo by flickr photographer vrkrebs.
54. At the south end of Crowley
Lake, the river then enters the
Owens Gorge.
Photo by Aquafornia.
Photo by Chris Austin.
55. The gorge was formed by the river
cutting through the Bishop Tuff, a
volcanic tableland of welded ash
deposited from the eruption
of the Long Valley volcano.
Photo by flickr photographer cpt.spock.
56. Photo by Chris Austin
DWP has built three power plants in the
Owens Gorge to take advantage of the 2400-foot
elevation drop between Crowley Lake
and the Owens River Valley.
57. The three power plants are connected
by penstocks that travel above ground
and through tunnels in between the
three power plants.
Photo by Chris Austin.
Photo by Chris Austin.
58. Penstock
This aerial shot of the Middle
Gorge Power Plant shows the
penstock coming from the Upper
Gorge plant on its way to the
Middle Gorge Plant. Afterwards,
it emerges further down the
gorge, where it will become the
penstock for the Control Gorge
plant, the last power plant in the
chain of three.
Middle Gorge
Power Plant
Photo from the Library of Congress, Historical American Engineering Record
59. Photo by Chris Austin
This is the penstock coming
down from the gorge and
headed into a turbine at the
Control Gorge power plant.
60. Photo by Chris Austin
The Control Gorge power plant is at
the bottom of the Owens Gorge.
For more on hydroelectric power, click here:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html
Photo by Chris Austin
61. From the Library of
Congress, Historic
American Engineering
Record.
The aqueduct system has been extensively developed to take advantage of the
drop in elevation as water descends from the High Sierra to Los Angeles.
The aqueduct‟s 14 power plants provided Los Angeles with over
400 million kWh of hydroelectric power in 2008.
62. From the Library of Congress, Historic American Engineering Record.
63. Photo by Chris Austin.
After the Control Gorge
power plant, the river then
flows into the Pleasant Valley
reservoir.
The Pleasant Valley Dam was built
in conjunction with hydroelectric
development in the Owens Gorge.
Photo by Chris Austin.
64. Photo by Chris Austin.
The reservoir allows the upstream
power plants to increase or
decrease water flow for power
production as needed without
causing rapid fluctuations in the
flow of the Owens River below.
Photo by Chris Austin.
A small power plant produces
power when water is released from
the reservoir.
65. Photo by Chris Austin.
The Owens River then leaves Pleasant Valley reservoir …
… and heads south towards Bishop.
Photo by Chris Austin.
66. DWP owns 314,000 acres in
the Owens Valley, making it
the largest private
landowner in the watershed.
Photo by Chris Austin.
67. Photo by Chris Austin
Photo by flickr
photographer Christian Panama.
Much of the land is open for
recreational use, such as
fishing, boating, hiking, and
rock climbing.
Photo by Chris Austin
Photo by Aquafornia
68. DWP leases a portion of
the land for ranching
operations.
Photo by Chris Austin
Leaseholders must adhere to
strict guidelines designed for
maximum protection of the
watershed.
Photo by Chris Austin.
69. Photo by Chris Austin.
DWP provides land for city & county
parks, golf courses, museums and
visitor centers, including the Eastern
California Museum and the
Inter-Agency Visitors Center.
Some of the land is also leased to
area businesses.
Photo by Chris Austin.
70. Photo by Chris Austin.
At the Eastern California
Museum in Independence,
there is an exhibit on the
building of the aqueduct, as
well as exhibits of Native
American basketry and
artifacts, early Eastern Sierra
residents and pioneers, a
Manzanar exhibit, a native
plant garden, and a large
photo collection.
71. The museum also has an equipment yard featuring
farming and mining implements, as well as some
aqueduct construction equipment.
Photo by Chris Austin.
Visit the Eastern California Museum online at:
http://www.inyocounty.us/ecmuseum/
72. Down the road at the Inter-Agency Visitor
Center in Lone Pine, DWP is one of several
agencies displaying information about the
Eastern Sierra …
Photo by Chris Austin
Photo by Chris Austin
73. For more information on this and other
visitor centers in the area, click here:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/about/
Photo by Chris Austin.
… which includes a large relief
map showing the path of the
aqueduct, as well as other
Eastern Sierra landmarks.
74. Photo by flickr photographer verno_64
Bishop
The water‟s journey continues past Bishop, staying in the river‟s natural
channel until it reaches the aqueduct intake above Independence.
75. Two miles north of the town of Big Pine is
Klondike Lake, a mitigation project
maintained by DWP to provide nesting and
feeding areas for waterfowl. It is also used
for recreation and water sports.
Photo by Chris Austin.
For more information on Klondike Lake, click here:
http://www.schweich.com/geoCAInyKlondikeLk.html
76. South of Big Pine is the
Fish Springs Hatchery,
another Eastern Sierra hatchery
producing fish which will be
stocked in the area‟s lakes and
rivers.
Photo by Chris Austin.
Photo by Chris Austin.
77. Photo from the Library of Congress, Historical American Engineering Record
The Tinemaha Reservoir is located six
miles north of the aqueduct intake.
It was completed in 1928, and can store
6300 acre-feet of water.
79. Photo by Chris Austin.
Intake
North of the town of Independence are the headworks and intake for the
aqueduct. This is where the Owens River water leaves its natural course and
begins its journey southward through the aqueduct infrastructure.
80. Photo by Chris Austin.
There is a 325-foot diversion weir which
directs the flow of the river into the
aqueduct intake.
81. Lower Owens River
Diversion weir
This is an overview of the intake structure, showing
how the diversion weir blocks the river from
continuing in its own channel and directs it to the
aqueduct intake instead.
Aqueduct Intake
Photo courtesy of the Inyo County Water Department.
82. From the Library of Congress, Historic American Engineering Record.
83. Photo by Chris Austin.
Besides surface water rights,
DWP also owns extensive
groundwater rights and has
drilled wells throughout the
Owens Valley.
After completion of the second
aqueduct in 1970, DWP
dramatically increased
groundwater pumping.
The groundwater withdrawals
caused the water table to drop; as
a result, widespread
environmental damage occurred:
springs and meadows dried up,
and native vegetation
began to die.
84. In 1991, DWP & Inyo County entered into the Long Term
Water Agreement to manage the groundwater and
avoid further significant impacts. The agreement also
specified several mitigation projects, one of those
being restoration of the Lower Owens River.
.
For more on DWP‟s groundwater pumping
management in the Owens Valley, click here:
http://www.inyowater.org/pumping.htm
Photo by Chris Austin.
85. This was the Lower Owens River in 2006 ….
Photo by flickr photographer im me.
86. … and this is the Lower Owens River today.
Photo by Aquafornia
87. Under the Inyo/Los Angeles Long Term
Water Agreement, the County and DWP
committed to re-water the full 60 miles of the
river below the aqueduct intake.
Photo by Chris Austin.
88. This required modifications to the intake
structure to allow water to be released into the
river channel, as the original structure was
designed to divert the entire flow of the river
into the aqueduct.
Photo courtesy of Inyo County Water Department.
89. Photo courtesy of Inyo County Water Department.
The agreement requires that
DWP maintain flows of
40 cfs as measured by
ten different flow gauges
installed along the river.
Photo by Chris Austin.
90. Additionally, DWP is required to provide
permanent water supplies to lakes and ponds,
and to two waterfowl and shorebird habitats
with water supplied from the aqueduct.
Photo courtesy of Inyo County Water Department.
91. In December of 2006, Mayor Villiaragosa himself was on hand along with
DWP‟s David Nahai when water was diverted back into the
Lower Owens River for the first time in nearly a hundred years.
Mayor Villaraigosa returned on
Valentine‟s Day in 2008 to canoe
down the restored river.
Photo courtesy of Mayor Villiaragosa.
92. Where the river enters Owens Lake, a pump station captures the flows from the
river, where it is either diverted to the Owens Lake dust control project, put
back into the aqueduct, or allowed to flow into the Owens Lake delta.
For more on the Lower Owens River Project, click here:
http://www.inyowater.org/LORP/default.htm
93. Aqueduct intake
Back at the intake, the water
leaves the channel of the
river and takes a straight
path across the valley
towards the Alabama Gates.
Aqueduct
Lower Owens River
94. Photo by Chris Austin.
The water will travel by gravity 233
miles to Los Angeles, passing through
power plants, conduits, pressurized
pipelines, tunnels and reservoirs along
the way.
Photo by Chris Austin.
95. The water traverses part of the valley
in an unlined, earthen canal.
Photo by Chris Austin.
96. From the Library of Congress, Historic American Engineering Record.
97. Photo by Chris Austin.
At the Alabama Gates located just north of Lone Pine, water can be diverted
from the aqueduct into a spillway that leads to the Owens River.
The Alabama Gates are also notable as being the scene of one of the more
colorful episodes in the history of the aqueduct.
98. The diversion of water from
the Owens Valley to Los
Angeles met with resistance
from many of the local
residents who were seeing
their way of life dry up as the
water left the valley.
In 1924, locals took over the facility and
opened the gates, sending the entire flow
of water down the spillway and back into
the dry river channel.
Photo from collection at the
Eastern California Museum.
99. Lawmen sent to retake the
facility were rebuffed, and soon
a party atmosphere ensued,
lasting for days.
The crowd swelled to as much
as 1500 as wives brought picnic
dinners for their husbands and
local businessmen closed up
shop to join the crowd.
A film star working on a film in
the area even sent a band.
Eventually order was restored,
the gates were closed, and
water once again flowed south
to Los Angeles.
Photo from collection at the
Eastern California Museum.
100. Photograph courtesy of
Rich McCutchan
But unfortunately, that wasn‟t the end of the conflict. When the long and often
bitter negotiations broke down, angry residents responded by dynamiting
the aqueduct numerous times, even at one point prompting the City to
send out armed guards to patrol the aqueduct system.
101. Photo from collection at the
Eastern California Museum.
Eventually, the disputes between the valley residents and city officials moved to the
courts, where most issues were resolved. However, while relations between the
residents and DWP have improved over the years, disputes and wrangling over the
valley‟s limited water resources still continue even today.
For more on Owens Valley issues, click here: http://www.ovcweb.org/
102. Photo by Chris Austin.
Aqueduct
Alabama Gates
South of the Alabama Gates, the aqueduct leaves the valley floor and begins to
run along the hillsides. The floor of the valley and the Owens River continue
dropping towards Owens Lake. The difference in elevation between the
aqueduct and the river begins to grow.
103. When the aqueduct leaves the
valley floor, it also leaves the
water table below it. In order to
not lose all its water to
seepage, the aqueduct now
travels in a concrete-lined canal.
Photo by flickr photographer calwest.
104. Photo by Chris Austin.
The path of the aqueduct now travels
through several Pleistocene-era
shorelines of Owens Lake. The gravels
and sand in this area were used to make
the concrete needed for canal lining.
105. Aqueduct
Photo by Chris Austin.
The aqueduct passes by
Diaz Lake, a natural lake
formed by the 1872 Lone Pine
earthquake, when the ground
dropped 20 feet, giving the
creek a basin to fill.
106. Photo by Chris Austin.
The lake is located just south of
Lone Pine, and is used for fishing,
water sports, and camping.
107. Photo from collection at the
Eastern California Museum.
Owens
Lake
The Owens Lake is part of a chain of ancient Pleistocene lakes that extended
from Mono lake south down into Death Valley. Since that time, the lake‟s level
had been diminishing, but by the late 1800s, Owens Lake was still one of
California‟s largest natural lakes, covering 110 square miles.
It was a saline terminal lake with a salinity
1 ½ times greater than that of the ocean.
108. Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
After the entire flow of the
Owens River was diverted to
Los Angeles in 1913, the Owens
Lake began to shrink, and by
1928, the lake bed was dry.
Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
109. Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
The dry lake bed became notable for being the largest single source of
particulate matter in the U. S., emitting over 80,000 tons per year of
particulate matter into the air with 24-hour concentrations as high as
130 times the federal air quality standards.
110. Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
In the five years from 2000 to 2004, 78 of the 100 highest 24-hour PM-10
concentrations (or dust events) measured in the United States
occurred at Owens Lake.
21 of the remaining 22 days occurred at Mono Lake.
111. Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
The PM-10 particulate matter from the
Owens Lake bed is a toxic mix of arsenic,
cadmium, nickel and sulfates, affecting up
to 40,000 residents and visitors.
If the conditions are right, Owens Lake
particulate emissions can even travel to
the more densely populated areas of
Southern California.
112. PM-10 particles are small enough to penetrate the lungs deeply, and can cause
a variety of breathing problems, especially in sensitive populations.
During dust events, residents of the surrounding area are advised to stay inside
and avoid outdoor strenuous activities.
Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
113. Picture courtesy of Great Basin
Unified Air Pollution Control District.
In 2000, DWP began dust control measures on the lake bed to bring
the area into compliance with federal air quality standards.
114. Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
Dust control measures being applied
include shallow flooding….
115. … native vegetation,
Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
and laying down a gravel blanket.
Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
116. Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
Saltgrass, a locally adapted
native plant, is being cultivated
on parts of the lake bed.
Drip irrigation and micro
sprinklers are used to minimize
water consumption.
Photo courtesy of Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District.
117. To date, DWP has spent $600 million on dust control measures for 19,000 acres
of dry lakebed; this will expand to 29,000 acres over the next 2 years. Ongoing
operations are expected to cost DWP $20 million and
65,000 acre-feet of water annually.
Photo by Chris Austin.
118. Photo by Mike Prather
It is making a difference.
Ten years ago, federal air quality standards were violated over 30 times.
Last year, there were only 9 violations, and
peak 24-hour PM-10 levels have been reduced 90%.
119. Photo by Mike Prather
The shallow flooding of the lake
bed is also bringing back the
wildlife.
Photo by Mike Prather
Photo by Mike Prather
120. In April of 2009,
Eastern Sierra Audubon Society
volunteers counted 61,983 birds
of 74 different species using the
dust control areas.
Photo by Mike Prather
Visit the Eastern Sierra Audubon Society
online at: http://esaudubon.org/
Photo by Mike Prather
121. DWP is looking at other measures of controlling dust, such as using trenches
and berms in a technique called „moat and row‟, or pumping the brackish water
from underneath the lake and spreading it on the dry lake bed. DWP is even
considering installing solar panels to act as a windbreak.
For more on Owens Lake dust control, click here: http://www.gbuapcd.org/
Photo by Chris Austin.
122. The Cottonwood Creek Power Plant starting generating power on
November 13, 1908, supplying energy for aqueduct construction.
The very same generators remain in operation today.
Photo by Chris Austin
123. Photo by Chris Austin.
The power plant generates its power by
diverting Cottonwood Creek into a flume
4 miles up the canyon. The water then
flows into a forebay. through the
penstocks into the power plant, and
directly into the aqueduct.
Photo by Chris Austin.
124. Past Owens Lake and just south of
Olancha, the aqueduct turns
underneath Highway 395 and
heads towards Haiwee Reservoir.
Photo by Chris Austin.
125. Photo by Chris Austin
Originally, Haiwee Reservoir was a single reservoir.
It was separated as part of the building of the second
aqueduct to increase operational flexibility.
126. There is a dam and another
power plant at the south end
of the reservoir.
Photo from the Library of Congress,
Historical American Engineering Record
127. The second aqueduct is fed by North
Haiwee Reservoir and enters steel
pipe and concrete conduit after
leaving Haiwee.
128. The first aqueduct is normally fed by
South Haiwee Reservoir and enters
a buried conrete conduit after
passing through the power plant.
A bypass channel is used to divert
water around South Haiwee
Reservoir when needed.
Bypass
Channel
129. Photo by Chris Austin.
The concrete top of the first aqueduct‟s conduit can be seen above
ground, while the second aqueduct‟s conduit is buried.
130. From the Library of Congress, Historic American Engineering Record.
131. From the Library of
Congress, Historic
American
Engineering
Record.
The first aqueduct will now make
its way to Los Angeles through 98
miles of concrete conduit, 12 miles
of steel & concrete pipeline, and
52 miles of tunnels.
The solid line represents the
path of the first aqueduct; the
dotted line represents the path
of the second aqueduct.
132. Tunneling was used extensively during
construction of the first aqueduct because at
the time, labor was cheap and plentiful, but
materials, such as steel pipeline, were much
more expensive.
Tunneling was the more economical choice.
Water Resources Center Archives
University of California Berkeley
133. The pipeline portions of the original aqueduct were constructed of reinforced,
cast-in place concrete pipe and riveted steel pipe, both of which are still in use.
The original coating is black.
In other areas, it has been repainted.
All of the coating of the steel pipe is
being replaced.
Photo by Chris Austin.
Photo by Chris Austin.
134. About 12 miles of steel and concrete pressure
pipelines were used to cross twenty-three canyons
and valleys on the original aqueduct where other
methods would have been more expensive.
Mojave
Desert
Nine mile siphon
Photo by Chris Austin
135. The pressure pipelines used to cross
canyons and valleys use varying amounts
of head differential to push water through
them. The amount of head varied with the
length and diameter of the pipelines.
In some cases, tapered-diameter steel
pipelines were used to minimize the
tonnage of steel required compared to
constant diameter pipelines.
Photo by Chris Austin.
136. Water flows
through the
aqueduct pressure
pipelines in the
desired direction
because the
upstream end of
each pipeline is
higher than the
downstream end.
Direction of travel
Photo from the Library of Congress
Historical American Engineering Record
From the Library of
Congress, Historic
American Engineering
Record.
137. Photo by Chris Austin.
The pipeline at Jawbone Canyon
is about 8,000 feet long and is the
deepest on the original aqueduct
at 850 feet.
Photo by Chris Austin.
138. The Antelope Valley siphon is
the longest siphon at 4.11 miles
in length.
Photo by Chris Austin.
139. From the Library of Congress, Historic American Engineering Record.
140. The first Los Angeles Aqueduct crosses the State Water Project‟s
California Aqueduct near Neenach at the southwestern end
of the Antelope Valley.
For more information on the State Water
Project, click here:
http://www.water.ca.gov/swp/index.cfm
Photo by Chris Austin.
141. The second aqueduct travels through
64 miles of concrete conduit, 69 miles
of steel pipeline, and 4 miles of other
facilities.
It is made of welded steel and is painted desert tan.
Second Aqueduct at Jawbone Canyon
Photo by Chris Austin.
142. It runs mostly underground,
only emerging when
necessary to cross washes
and canyons.
Photo by Chris Austin.
143. When the surveys and studies were done to
assess the best route for the second aqueduct,
engineers chose a path very similar to that of
the first aqueduct.
Photo from the Library of Congress,
Historical American Engineering Record
144. Photo by Chris Austin.
First aqueduct
Second aqueduct
However, changes in relative costs of materials and labor meant the greater use
of steel pipe and less tunneling compared to the original aqueduct.
145. Photo by Chris Austin.
The second aqueduct added
50% capacity to the aqueduct system.
By providing more flow over longer periods of
time, it also added 200 million kWh
of hydropower generation.
146. Because pipe was cheaper when
the second aqueduct was built, a
shorter, more direct path across
the Antelope Valley was
taken, rather than the circuitous
route that was necessary when
building the first aqueduct.
The solid line represents the
first aqueduct; the dotted line
represents the second aqueduct.
The Second Aqueduct in the Antelope Valley
Photo by Chris Austin.
From the Library of
Congress, Historic
American Engineering
Record.
147. Both aqueducts meet at the Fairmont Reservoir in the south
Antelope Valley. The output from this reservoir is a gate tower to
the North Portal of the Elizabeth Tunnel.
California
Aqueduct
Photo from the Library of Congress,
Historical American Engineering Record
148. The Elizabeth Tunnel carries water through the Coast
Range, traveling 5 miles and 250 feet below Elizabeth Lake.
The tunnel was the longest on the first aqueduct.
Elizabeth
Tunnel
Photo by Chris Austin.
149. Water Resources Center Archives
University of California Berkeley
With an incentive program in place for working fast, the tunnel drillers set the
world‟s record for hard rock tunnel drilling at 604 feet in one month,
and even finished 20 months ahead of schedule,
saving thousands of dollars in the process.
The five-mile tunnel was drilled from both ends simultaneously. When the two
tunnels met in the middle, the center line was only off by 1-1/8”,
and the grade was off only by 5/8”.
150. The outlet of the Elizabeth
tunnel is a pressure canal
into the penstock of
San Francisquito
Power Plant #1.
Photo by Chris Austin.
151. Photo by Chris Austin.
This power plant is the largest on the aqueduct.
It began generating power on March 19, 1917,
and was DWP‟s first source of municipally
generated power for the city.
152. An inlet/outlet line is
connected from below the
surge chamber of power
plant #1 to the Bouquet
Reservoir, allowing water
to be stored at the reservoir
for hydroelectric power
generation.
Photo by Chris Austin
153. The 36,500 acre-foot Bouquet Reservoir also
provides critical storage downstream of the
San Andreas fault.
Photo by Chris Austin.
154. The water then flows through a
tunnel from the first power
plant to San Francisquito
Power Plant #2.
Photo by Chris Austin.
155. Next to Power Plant #2 is a
historical marker
commemorating the collapse of
the St. Francis Dam, considered
one of California‟s worst
disasters.
Over 450 people were killed in
1928 when the 185-ft concrete
dam structure failed, sending a
wall of water down the
Santa Clara River valley
54 miles to the sea.
Photo by Chris Austin.
156. Behind the power plant is a
hiking trail which will take
you to see what is left of
the dam.
Photo by flickr photographer tkksummers.
More on the St. Francis Dam disaster at this site:
http://www.sespe.com/damdisaster/index.html
Photo by flickr photographer tkksummers.
157. The aqueduct passes through
Santa Clarita, an area that has
developed around the
aqueduct‟s infrastructure.
Photo by Chris Austin.
Soledad Siphon
‘Photo by Chris Austin.
158. Cascades
The water enters the San
Fernando Valley at the
Cascades facility at the
north end of the
San Fernando Valley.
The cascades from the top of
the hill were built for the
second aqueduct.
Photo by Chris Austin.
159. Off to the side and lower on
the hillside are the cascades
for the first aqueduct.
Photo by Chris Austin
160. Photo by Chris Austin.
This is where William
Mulholland stood and spoke
his famous words “There it is,
take it!” as the Owens River
water flowed into the San
Fernando Valley for the first
time.
161. Photo from the Library of Congress,
Historical American Engineering Record
At the Cascades, the water flows
over the cement blocks and stones
in the process of aeration and
energy dissipation.
162. The cascades for the Second Los Angeles
Aqueduct were built 350 feet higher than the
original, which made a gravity supply possible to
areas of the north San Fernando Valley that had
previously needed a pumped supply.
Photo by Chris Austin
163. From the Library of Congress, Historic American Engineering Record.
164. The journey ends at the filtration plant
and the Los Angeles Reservoir.
It has taken up to three months for
water originating from the Mono Lake
basin to arrive here.
165. Photo by Chris Austin.
In 1971, the First Los Angeles Aqueduct was named as a
National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
166. Mulholland Fountain
Griffith Park, Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Aqueduct made
the growth of the city of
Los Angeles possible. It was
conceived and built in the days
when settling the west was a
national goal and the “greater
good for the greater number” was
the predominant way of thinking.
Some say that Los Angeles stole
the water from the Owens Valley,
and whether this is true or not is a
subject of debate. Others say that
the land management policies of
the DWP have discouraged
extensive urban development, and
have thus preserved the Owens
Valley as a rural recreational
paradise.
Photo by Chris Austin.
Deprived of the water necessary
for economic growth and
urbanization, Inyo County remains
one of California‟s least
populated counties.
167. Picture by ah zut (flickr)
The Eastern Sierra is so much more
than just the aqueduct!
Visit these websites for more information:
http://www.monocounty.org/
http://www.theothersideofcalifornia.com/
http://www.visitmammoth.com/
Photo by Chris Austin.
Photo by extremeline.com
Picture by Ko Kong (flickr)
Photo by Chris Austin
168. Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power Resources:
DWP Website: http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp004409.jsp
Aqueduct operating conditions & reports:
http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp007321.jsp
DWP‟s Owens Valley Operations Report, May 2009:
http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp012189.pdf
Engineering reports:
The engineering report for the first aqueduct is available for checkout at the
County of Los Angeles Public Library.
The engineering report for the second aqueduct is available only as a reference
book at the California History Resources Center at the Rosemead branch of the
County of Los Angeles Public Library.
Library of Congress:
Information & pictures available from the „American Memory‟ and „Built In
America‟ collections at the Library of Congress. Search “Los Angeles Aqueduct”
on this page: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/browse/index.html
Los Angeles Aqueduct in Elsmere Canyon:
http://www.elsmerecanyon.com/aqueduct/aqueduct.htm
169. From the DWP:
The Story of the L. A. Aqueduct:
http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp001006.jsp
History of Water and Power in L.A.:
http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp001559.jsp
Historical collection of pictures archived at the City Library:
http://www.lapl.org/resources/en/dwp.html
Slideshow on William Mulholland and the building of the aqueduct:
http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp007239.pdf
Other resources:
Owens Valley history pages:
http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/ov_aqueduct1/page18.html
Owens Valley wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owens_Valley
Historical collections of pictures archived at the Water Resources Center Archives:
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/WRCA/aqueduct.html
Books:
Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner
The Water Seekers by Remi Nadeau
Water & Power by William L. Kahrl
Owens Valley Revisited: A Reassessment of the
West's First Great Water Transfer by Gary Libecap
170.
The Owens Valley Committee: http://www.ovcweb.org/
Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District:
http://www.gbuapcd.org/
Also see this Owens Lake 2005 status report:
http://www.gbuapcd.org/owenslake/OwensLakeStatusAug2005.pdf
Inyo County Water Department: http://www.inyowater.org/
LA DWP groundwater pumping:
http://www.inyowater.org/pumping.htm
Lower Owens River Project:
http://www.inyowater.org/LORP/default.htm
Eastern Sierra Audubon Society: http://esaudubon.org/
171.
The Mono Lake Committee: http://www.monolake.org/
The Mono Basin Clearinghouse (research & legal documents):
http://www.monobasinresearch.org/
GORP: Mono Basin National Scenic Area:
http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_forest/ca/see_in
y2.htm
Mono Lake State Natural Preserve:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=514
USGS Long Valley Observatory: http://lvo.wr.usgs.gov/
Owens Valley and Mono Inyo Craters: Photography of a geological
journey: http://www.its.caltech.edu/~meltzner/owens/
Cenozoic/Mesozoic Volcanism of the Eastern Sierra Nevada :
http://geology.csupomona.edu/docs/sierra.html
173. Also available online
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