The Los Angeles Aqueduct Cascades near Sylmar |
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| Official name | Los Angeles Aqueduct Second Los Angeles Aqueduct |
|---|---|
| Begins | First Aqueduct Owens River, Inyo County Second Aqueduct Haiwee Reservoir, Inyo County |
| Ends | First Aqueduct Upper Van Norman Lake (Los Angeles Reservoir), Granada Hills, Los Angeles Second Aqueduct |
| Maintained by | Los Angeles Department of Water and Power |
| Length | 675 km (419 mi) |
| Diameter | 3.7 m (12 ft) |
| First section length | 375 km (233 mi) |
| Second section length | 220 km (140 mi) |
| Capacity | 14.7 m3 (520 cu ft) per second 8.2 m3 (290 cu ft) per second |
| Construction began | 1908; 1965 |
| Opening date | 1913; 1970 |
| References [1][2][3] | |
The Los Angeles Aqueduct system comprising the Los Angeles Aqueduct (Owens Valley aqueduct) and the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct, is a water conveyance system operated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.[4] Designed by engineer and LADWP director, William Mulholland, the system delivers water from the Owens River in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains to Los Angeles, California.
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The project began in 1908 with a budget of US$24.5 million.[5][6][7] With 5,000 workers employed for its construction, the Los Angeles Aqueduct was completed in 1913.
The aqueduct consists of 223 mi (359 km) of 12-foot (3.7 m) diameter steel pipe, 120 mi (190 km) of railroad track, two hydroelectric plants, 170 mi (270 km) of power lines, 240 mi (390 km) of telephone line, a cement plant, and 500 mi (800 km) of roads.[8] The aqueduct uses gravity alone to move water and also uses the water to generate electricity, so it is cost-efficient to operate.[9] The catastrophic failure of the St. Francis Dam, in 1928, flooded the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of Ventura County (resulting in public disgrace for the city of Los Angeles and the end of Mulholland's career),.[10] Excluding incidents of sabotage by Owens Valley residents in the early years,[11] the aqueduct system has been operated safely throughout its history and is still in operation.
The construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct effectively eliminated the Owens Valley as a viable farming community, and devastated the Owens Lake ecosystem.[11] Mulholland and his associates (known as the "San Fernando Syndicate"),[12] including Los Angeles Times publisher Harrison Gray Otis have been criticized for using deceptive tactics to obtain Bureau of Reclamation rights to the Owens River's flow.[13] Mullholland, his associates, and the City of Los Angeles forced farmers off of the land, using violent tactics to intimidate any farmers who refused to sell land to them. In response to these violent tactics, numerous Owens Valley residents sabotaged and destroyed portions of the aqueduct.[12][14] The aqueduct's water provided developers with the resources to quickly develop the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles through World War II. Mulholland's role in the vision and completion of the aqueduct and the growth of Los Angeles into a large metropolis is recognized and well-documented. The William Mulholland Memorial Fountain, built in 1940 and located at Riverside Drive and Los Feliz Blvd. in Los Feliz is dedicated to his memory and contributions. Mulholland Drive is named for him as well.
The second Los Angeles Aqueduct starts at the Haiwee Reservoir, just south of Owens Lake, running roughly parallel to the first aqueduct. Unlike the original, it does not operate solely via gravity and requires pumping to operate. It carries water 137 mi (220 km) and merges with the original aqueduct near the Cascades, visibly located on the east side of the Golden State Freeway near the junction of State Route 14. Construction cost for the five year project that began in 1965 was US$89 million.[15]
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