auburn dam auburn dam proposed dam east town auburn california united_states border counties slated completed 1970s height feet concrete arch gravity dam largest centered thin arch dam world gorge downstream confluence upstream regulated water flow provided flood control basin immense proposals studies dam emerged late 1960s construction work commenced involving diversion tunnel construction massive following nearby earthquake discovery seismic fault dam site work project halted fears dam design allow survive major fault zone dam redesigned new proposal submitted costs limited water storage offered design end project heavy floods destroyed sparking brief renewed interest dam denied water rights dam project lack implementation new proposals surfaced time time 1980s dam built variety reasons limited flood control capability instability potential harm recreational ecological values finally end auburn dam project original preliminary constructions auburn dam site exist flowed diversion tunnel constructed preparation dam completed pump station project year blocked tunnel returned river original channel diverted water tunnel auburn meet local needs groups continue support construction dam claim provide important water regulation flood protection early history 1850s city sacramento rapidly growing confluence tributary near middle california city increasing population necessitated construction extensive system rivers prevent flooding especially american flood control works rivers beds city inundated completely state government temporarily moved san_francisco built dam lower american near confluence provide flood control sacramento metropolitan area dam provided inadequate flood storage overflowed occasions construction fact flood filled capacity dam completed water demand sacramento area growing mainly agricultural usage diversion dam constructed site auburn dam divert water series ditches supplied irrigation water downstream farms irrigation dam canal systems favored severe flow fluctuations rivers created floods years light contrived early 1950s plans giant dam auburn site considered flood control designs concrete considered dam built crossed river upstream dam site relocated project authorized companies taken contracts construction high bridge carry road proposed reservoir preliminary excavations dam site auburn dam massive flood control storage structure upstream create reservoir twice capacity help reduce floods american introduction mid-1930s came purpose provide new supplemental water irrigation municipal industrial use severely depleted ground water region congress authorized primary feature auburn dam targeted completion date proposals evolved project saw transformation purely flood control structure high dam serve purposes including storage generation recreational activities ideas publicized late 1950s called foot embankment dam acre feet water foot dam holding acre feet water proposed pre construction design finalized concrete thin arch gravity structure feet high dam feet long feet thick base equipped generators base total generating capacity concrete lined flip bucket sides dam construction work dam started late construction site preparation official groundbreaking auburn dam started october preparatory excavations test shafts gorge contract diversion tunnel river left feet diameter feet long equipped handle flow cubic feet second roughly year flood given million actual construction tunnel begin tunnel completed late november construction worker killed excavation tunnel auburn project feet high completed water began flow diversion tunnel later year diversion tunnel bypassed roughly mile section construction main dam upstream dam site auburn road weather region inundated proposed reservoir preparation reservoir filling road raised high canyon spanned foot bridge rising feet river built bridge required pool old crossing especially high water improved safety reduced travel time eliminating steep narrow winding grade canyon river comparisons maps showing old road alignment contracts projects pertaining relocation roadway given sons construction actual bridge bridge stands today completed earthquake magnitude earthquake shook sierra nevada near dam miles north auburn dam construction site concerned engineers working project auburn dam construction brought complete site investigations conducted origins earthquake discovered caused reservoir induced weight water dam completed pressing fault zone cause stress fault slip cause earthquake concrete thin arch design vulnerable project drastically redesigned years construction halted conducted seismic potential dam site delays caused cost project rise passing year studies concluded major fault system vicinity auburn dam site rock formed contact foothills rocks granite predicted induce earthquake came higher magnitude redesigned auburn dam based figure times stronger design changed concrete thick arch gravity dam provide better protection possible earthquake induced reservoir rest 1970s possible designs looked implemented preliminary work construction site resumed april foundations completed debates continued build arched straight axis dam proposed engineering challenge withstand earthquakes better failure early huge flood began pouring sierra nevada mountains inches rain fell sacramento region days later considered largest regional floods recorded history quickly designated federal disaster area streams rivers incurred million damages county flooding catastrophic rating sacramento supposedly designed prevent year flood dropped year flood floods tore long stretches american sacramento city sacramento spared close margin filled capacity began cubic feet second late february flood rapidly filled pool auburn capacity diversion tunnel handle extra water pouring reservoir february rising water near right creating quickly eroded structure designed soft plug fail controlled manner event occur outflow reached cubic feet second noon hours later maximum discharge reached cubic feet second completely construction site destroying half foot high collapsed backed water downstream mile downstream deposited dam debris raised lake level suddenly outflow exceeded design capacity downstream regulating dam downstream severe flooding avoided sacramento flood events spurred renewed interest permanent dam helped store water flood clear system dams needed engineered stopping project economic cost years following era floods public opinion turned relatively small reservoir capacity related size massive estimated cost finish project rising dollars best dam sites require relatively small dam store massive amounts water sites taken comparison dam example reveals auburn store little water compared structural size lake reservoir stores acre feet proposed auburn reservoir mere capacity require construction dam tall times wide early cost building estimated billion cost build dam billion flood control works raise height improve capacity increase capacity sacramento area cost significantly providing protection floods believes existing flood records place years justify construction dam large auburn finally water auburn dam connected long unfinished originally planned costly unreliable supply annual reservoir relatively modest acre feet cubic feet second river poses high flood threat failure risk active nature area risk failure earthquake weight reservoir induce fault lines crosses area known fault zone surface displacement ground range inches centimeters feet direction new concrete gravity design tested survive magnitude earthquake performed poorly originally estimated study released proved failure auburn dam result giant wave reaching minutes likely cause failure downstream hour millions acre feet water cause far greater damage downstream possible natural flood collapse severely dam feet water feet water rest sacramento metropolitan area study predicted failure result fatalities auburn dam capacity added resulting flood times larger cause greater damage land miles american sacramento rivers fate filling auburn reservoir result mile lake numerous middle fork american river acknowledged popular recreational river california million people visit year engage recreational activities include hiking hunting horseback riding gold mining climbing visitors surrounds dam site reservoir popular recreational haven cause destruction trails including cup western states endurance run ones submerged result destruction thousands acres habitat historic archaeological sites end auburn dam project referred dam wouldn die lives alley cat defeated intervention cost conscious bills revive dam project introduced congress years turned representative introduced rejected high costs flood control bill involving defeated plans auburn project appeared water projects bills project leaning purely flood control instead original expensive environmental groups opposed denied years dragged cost project grew officially ended water rights site state november proposals auburn dam auburn dam public works equivalent hollywood zombie creation ability withstand repeated attempts kill proposed nearly half century ago site canyon near town auburn dam attacks presidents member congress state federal agencies tax scientists engineers nature political equivalent shot stabbed drowned poisoned set fire california planning development report august auburn dam considered history proponents groups devoted long inactive project advocates argue construction auburn solution providing needed flood protection sacramento area millions dollars spent making preparations provide abundant supply reliable water recreational areas lost reservoir rebuilt major supporter revival dam recent survey revealed thirds sacramento citizens support construction auburn argue dam cost billion instead billion alternative provide flood control area congressman largest proponents appropriated million dollars funds conduct feasibility studies dam million went main feasibility report remaining million study concerning relocation runs site hurricane katrina disaster drew public attention flood vulnerability sacramento region flood protection incompetence dam advantage saying auburn dam soon position suffering severe drought severe flooding year led republican members united_states house_of_representatives california protest trying convince governor water rights decision california known chief sponsor response public outcry groups recommend construction dry dam purely supports purpose flood control dam stand year flood excess flow pool temporarily dam instead flowing straight dam provide flood control leaving dry year dry water days weeks year instead year long damage local environment dam built protect year flood construction dry auburn dam lake kept higher level year reduced flood control pressure recreational access reservoir finally regulations flow help efforts lower sacramento valley acknowledged severely depleted legacy inception hundreds millions dollars poured auburn dam project work 1980s continues list auburn considered alternative future project massive evidence dam construction remain canyon specifically excavations consequences increased erosion recent decades california struck series severe order facilitate continued deliveries water southern half state forced cut water supplies agriculture annual water state projected rise acre feet estimated acre feet state proposed solutions facilitate water flow water rich north dry south built environmental concerns raising dam sacramento building proposed lastly revived light according supporters cause environmental destruction multitude choices reliable water yield regardless costs alternative auburn dam project flood control lower improved usd billion collaboration dam adds new lower serve dam additional work proposed includes possible raise dam feet improve flood control storage capacity key downstream improved flood control sacramento area auxiliary component upstream watershed transferred title result court decision uses south canal changed came online water supplies sacramento county water agency instead canal lower reducing need additional supplies auburn dam anticipated previously reduced decommissioned nuclear facility longer required large quantities cooling water canal pumping station supply water built supplying cubic feet second northwest running pipeline eliminating need auburn dam supply capacity station eventually expected upgraded cubic feet second began restore dam site untouched decade river diversion tunnel sealed filled remnants construction site remains excavated canyon leveled graded artificial class iii constructed channel river site restoration project included construction recreational amenities auburn site act seen final step auburn project forever
Auburn Dam