dam embankment dam east city california united_states feet high tallest dam serves mainly water supply generation flood control dam second largest man lake state california capable storing million acre feet located sierra nevada foothills east built key features major projects passed set california statewide water system construction initiated despite numerous difficulties encountered construction including multiple floods major train wreck rail line transport materials dam site embankment topped entire project ready use dam began generate electricity completion edward pump generating plant country largest underground power station completion dam allocated flow sacramento san delta california provides major supply water irrigation municipal industrial water supplies coastal southern_california prevented large amounts flood damage area billion years dam confined fish migration controlled flow river result affected habitat multiple aims trying counter dam impacts fish included construction salmon river began shortly dam completed history work began federal water project develop sacramento river systems irrigation highly fertile end world war state experienced economic boom led rapid urban commercial growth central southern portions state clear california economy depend solely state water system geared primarily agriculture new study california water supplies carried act proposed direct predecessor included major dam pumping plants transfer stored water destinations central southern california proposed project strongly opposed voters parts southern_california received water supported southern farmers major flooding 1950s prompted passage emergency flood control bill provided sufficient funding construction dam groundbreaking dam site occurred relocation tracks ran canyon burns authorized passed november slim margin commissioned design head construction dam primary work contract awarded joint venture led concrete lined diversion tunnels feet long feet diameter excavated channel dam site tunnels located river level carry normal water flows second floods workers poured cubic yards concrete comprised foot high protect construction site floods structure later serve core completed dam place mile rail line constructed earth rock dam site average train cars ran line hour transporting fill mainly excavated enormous piles hydraulic mining debris washed california gold rush december disaster nearly struck days heavy rain reached peak flow cubic feet second dam site water rose partially completed embankment dam nearly maximum cubic feet second poured diversion tunnels christmas flood disastrous floods record incomplete dam able reduce peak flow nearly percent massive amounts damage area months later men died tragic accident construction rail line october car work trains fully loaded collided head tunnel entrance gallons diesel fuel completely destroying locomotives burning fuel collision started forest fire burned acres extinguished crash delayed construction dam week train wreckage cleared designed withstand strongest possible earthquake region fitted hundreds instruments serve measure water pressure settlement earth fill construction earning nickname dam talks believed earthquake area caused induced weight dam reservoir local fault line embankment finally topped october million tons million material took train trips transport dam officially dedicated state california notable figures present chief justice california governor senator california representative dedication accompanied week festivities nearby attended nearly people operations construction underground finished shortly completion dam time largest underground power station united_states conventional turbines pump generators total installed capacity capable pumping water surplus power available pump generators lift cubic feet second net consumption turbines combined utilize flow cubic feet second maximum generation plant worked tandem extensive pumped storage operation comprising west facilities collectively known water diverted upper reservoir diversion dam feather river periods peak power use surplus energy generated lift water lower reservoir releases water generate power times high demand plants produce average billion hours electricity year half total power produced hydroelectric facilities water released dam travels joining eventually reaching sacramento san delta freshwater transport arid southern_california hydroelectric facilities power necessary drive pumps lift water delta valley valley coastal southern california water power dam contributes irrigation acres arid municipal supplies million people winter early spring lake required acre feet fifth reservoir storage capacity available flood control dam operated maintain objective flood control release cubic feet second reduced large storms flows feather confluence exceed cubic feet second particularly devastating flood reservoir hit cubic feet second dam operators managed limit outflow cubic feet second large regions flooding completely blocks salmon effort compensate lost habitat completed feather river fish fish barrier dam built fish reach base impassable diversion dam forces swim fish ladder located north bank produces million salmon stock river year spring run fall run facility successful concern salmon stock competing remaining wild salmon system
Oroville Dam