WSP05117

• File Number: 8277.200.10
• Description: California's Central Valley Project
• State: CA
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 9/1/1943
• Title: California's Central Valley Project
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

Shasta Dam, the key storage unit, is more than 80 per cent complete. The
present program calls for completion about June 15, 1944. A contract has
been awarded for the fabrication of the lower tier tube valves at elevation 742
and these are scheduled for delivery in the summer of 1943. A contract is in
force for the fabrication of outlet bulkhead gates, with delivery scheduled for
October, 1943. The spillway bridge is scheduled for delivery in November,
1943. Drum gate embedded material installation is scheduled for June, 1943, to
March, 1944. Completion of the dam and appurtenant structures for two-unit
operation will require about 6,600,000 man hours. Additional tube valves and
drum gates for 3, 4, 5 units for expanded power production will require about
20 months after authorization for delivery and installment.
Shasta Power Plant and Switchyard, as of February I, 1943, was
within about one year of completion. The powerhouse building was 98 per cent
complete. Two turbines, governors and generators have been delivered, and
transformers were scheduled for delivery in 10 months. The War Production
Board, however, has issued a "stop-work" order o~ all but two units of the
power development program, and two generator umts have been transferred
to Grand Coulee Dam and are now in operation there. .
Keswick Dam, on which work began in October, 1941, was about 40 per
cent completed at the first of this year. Concrete work on the dam will be con-
tinued, but work on the power unit has been stopped by W.P.B. About a year
and a half will be required to complete the dam and other structures for power
generation, after work is resumed.
Shasta-OrovilIe Transmission Line is in the construction stage. Con-
gress has appropriated $400,000 for construction of a short line to connect
with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Shasta sub-station near Cotton-
wood. On July 20, Secretary Ickes ordered the Bureau of Reclamation to con-
struct a 230 KV transmission line on wooden poles not only to Shasta Sub-
station, but continuing on to Oroville, using unexpended balances. The cost
of the entire line is $1,900,000.
Shasta-Antioch Transmission Line and Antioch Steam Plant and
Switchyard are in the stage of preliminary surveys and the preparation of
plans and specifications. Actual construction cannot be undertaken until
W.P.B. "stop-work" order is lifted and funds appropriated. No appropriation
has been made for the steam plant except $200,000 for the preparation of plans.
Delta Cross Channel has had preliminary surveys as to various routes,
but no plans and specifications have been prepared; and no righ~s of way ac-
quired. Four years would be necessary for economIcal constructIOn.
The Contra Costa Canal system is completed over a distance of more
than 37 miles and only 11 miles are left to finish, together with appurtenant
structures, gates, etc. Work was suspended May 23, 1942, due to lack of pri-
orities on materials. The main canal is 85 per cent completed.
For the Delta.Mendota Canal, about SO per cent of the location surveys
have been completed, but no rights of way acquired or plans and specific~tions
prepared. Construction work will take about four years after thIS umt has
been started.
Friant Dam on the San Joaquin River is over 90 per cent completed, and
ready for the installation of cranes, gates, and valves. This structure can be
placed'in operation within about a year.

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Madera Canal, on which work began in March. 1941, has been com-
pleted to the valley floor, a distance of about eight miles, and is 30 per cent
complete. No work has been done on this since September, 1942, and about
two years work will be required for its completion.
Friant-Kern Canal has about SO per cent of the location surveys com-
pleted, and specifications for the first six miles were issued, but no contract
awarded. Plans have been completed for the next 24.4-mile section of the
canal to Kings River, and specifications drafted for construction of Little Dry
Creek siphon and the canal from mile 5.9 to mile 13.5. About 13 per cent of
the right of way has been secured. According to the report of the U. S. Bureau
of Reclamation, economical construction would require a minimum period of
four years, but it would be possible to complete construction in two years, at
an increase in cost of not less than 2S per cent. At present this unit is also
under the W.P.B. ban on priorities for materials, and although recommended
by the War Food Administration, recently has been refused permission of the
W.P.B. for release of materials.

Resumption of Construction on Water Supply Units
On April 12 the Executive Officer and other representatives of the Cali-
fornia Water Project Authority appeared before the Interior Sub-committee
of Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives and requested
an appropriation for construction of various units of the Central Valley
Project, urging particularly the resumption of work on the irrigation features,
and emphasizing the advantages and needs for food production.
The units on which the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation made resurveys and
submitted revised lists of critical materials required were the Friant Dam, and
Madera, Friant-Kern, and Contra Costa Canals. Studies were made in co~
operation with the U. S. Department of Agriculture with regard to food which
could be produced. It was found that in the case of Friant Dam, the installa-
tion of about one-half of the gates and valves can be deferred, and those im-
mediately necessary can be transferred from Boulder Dam thus reducing the
metal required from 2600 tons to 1000 tons. It was estimated that needed
supplemental water supplies could be produced, and over a million tons of food
produced, including such essential war crops as potatoes, beans, flaxseed,
grain sorghum, milk and beef.
On May 10 the War Production Board announced its approval of re-
sumption of construction on the Friant Dam and the Madera Canal. Comple-
tion of the Contra Costa Canal" and construction of the Friant-Kern Canal
were not acted upon at this time, but referred to the War Food Administra-
tion for study and recommendation. Appropriations for the fiscal year 1944
made by Congress are as follows:

CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT
(Fiscal Year Ending July, 1944)
Shasta Dam, reservoir, and power plant......h......___nnuohmn...nun...n...n$10,900,OOO

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Transmission Line to Shasta Sub-station...____..............................,.......... 400,000

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TOT AL.m~.nm.~~..~~~~.~_m_._~_~~.m_mmm_.m__..nnmm n..mm~$22.569,OOO
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