new dam new dam embankment dam river arizona miles northwest phoenix serves cap providing water dam creates lake pleasant water cap addition flood protection hydroelectric power production recreational opportunities construction dam began ended reservoir submerged old dam completed decades planning history old dam referred original ambition local businessmen wanted develop project irrigation acres land accomplished storage dam diversion dam system canals advancement project began formation company hired construction project began died brother william president helped continue project lack funding caused poor nationwide economic conditions project halted soon went bankrupt project alive work primarily diversion dam canal foundation storage dam gravity dam completed diversion dam camp diversion dam named surveyor project nearly years struggling funding pursuing deals hired engineer assist designing pleasant recommended hiring engineer firm james draft plans storage dam site gravity dam design dropped relatively new cheaper improved controversial design adopted multiple arch dam new state law able create water conservation district new district funds raised bond issue december construction contract signed bonds purchased days contract signed died son robert took direction project pleasant early pleasant eventually sold needed bonds new_york firm gordon firm sent oversee construction initial implementation worker camps site preparation begun main effort construction began diversion river year dam renamed february concrete pouring buttresses nearing completion dam complete october construction employed maximum workers cost million prior inauguration cracks discovered dam buttresses led controversy new design dam safe long term delayed inauguration february situation exacerbated march francis dam california catastrophic failure series hearings debates eventually reached state legislature commissioner ordered dam lowered feet prevent excess water levels stress dam required specific water levels reservoir maintained dam steel installed atop year early 1960s renamed dam new dam construction began facilities planned approved integral project storage dam president recommended dam projects removed cap plan negative impacts cost projects charleston dam easily removed removal hampered controversy led creation secretary interior cecil requested identify replacement recommended removal storage units recent flooding area dam problem led expansion study include dams flood control years later state arizona agreed alternative known plan recommended projects reconstruction new larger cliff dam finally river tributary november secretary interior james recommended plan april approved exception needed study eventually removed cap construction new dam began excavation foundation diversion tunnel constructed divert water releases old dam construction dam continued end controlled breach performed arches old dam allowing reservoir fill freely new dam inundated reservoir filled nearly size old dam reservoir year dam pump generating plant new pump generating plant began operation dam cost excess million large sediment releases deteriorated camp diversion dam miles downstream masonry dam bureau design operation new dam high feet high bedrock foundation earth fill type long containing material dam crest width feet base width feet reservoir created dam capacity acre feet maximum elevation sea level feet maximum elevation surface area acres maximum conservation storage level reservoir feet reservoir surface area acres conservation storage reservoir acre feet minimum storage acre feet dam sits head square miles km2 area located miles northwest dam serving excess water levels different feet long free flow crest elevation feet feet long fuse plug embankment elevation feet free flow discharge capacity cubic feet second fuse plug cubic feet second elevation feet combined capacity cubic feet second water dam reservoir released outlet works power plant canal hank formed downstream dam diversion dam composite concrete masonry dam height feet length feet store acre feet elevation feet water hank diverted main extension miles long serve square miles km2 miles south dam cap allows receive additional water source water released miles long travels river feet long returned surface canal continues south meet cap west capacity pump generating plant cubic feet second outlet works diversion dam cubic feet second cubic feet second diverted canals time water new dam reservoir supply cap helps deliver cap water arizona water divided cap acre feet acre feet water cap drawn winter months energy rates low additional water pumped maximum feet lake storage summer months energy rates higher water released generators hydroelectric power production sale electricity pay dam cost pump generating plant contains pumps pump generators installed capacity recreation created dam offers recreational opportunities tourists locals lake served marina surrounding areas containing picnic sites camping sites miles trails lake seasonal fluctuating feet annually facilities located accessibility environmental impact new dam constructed phases phase study carried determine effects dam fisheries completed phase study determined larger reservoir nutrient concentrations cap water introduction water fluctuations reduced fish cover likely affecting food spawning large mouth bass populations declined striped bass entered lake likely eggs transferred cap water lake taken steps protect wildlife habitats including bald eagles
New Waddell Dam