Laserfiche WebLink
<br />WILLIAM R. GIANELLI <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />by the Federal Government, and recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement. <br /> <br />Financing of a major portion of the State Water Project was provided by the Burns-Porter Act, <br />authorizing issuance of $1.75 billion in bonds for this purpose, It was passed by the Legislature in <br />1959, and approved by the voters in 1960. <br /> <br />Total cost of the Project is now estimated at $2.8 billion. It has been enlarged significantly <br />since 1960, primarily because of the Supreme Court's 1963 decision, adverse to California, on the Ar- <br />izona-California suit concerning Colorado River Basin allocations. This created a need for additional <br />supplies in the Los Angeles area, and the State increased the project total of 4 million acre-feet to <br />4,230,000, making it possible to augment Metropolitan Water District allocations by 500,000 acre- <br />feet. MWD, of course, is the largest contractor for project water. <br /> <br />Let me give you a brief picture of the State Water Project, from north to south, after which I <br />will add additional details on some of its outstanding features. <br /> <br />Big Oroville Dam, highest embankment dam in the Western World, is now complete. Some of <br />the features of the Oroville complex, including two powerplants, are well along in the construction <br />stage. <br /> <br />Water is now being stored behind the giant dam. When the operation is ready to begin, these <br />waters will join the rivers in the Delta and begin a 444-mile uphill journey southward. <br /> <br />The California Aqueduct is proceeding rapidly. Almost 300 miles of it is either completed or <br />under construction. Beginning at the Delta Pumping Plant, near Tracy, a series of pumping plants will <br />move the man-made river through the fertile San J oaquin Valley, with turnouts handling the existing <br />irrigation needs of that great agricultural area. <br /> <br />Near Los Banos, 65 miles south of the Delta Pumping Plant, the huge San Luis Dam is com- <br />plete. Its joint federal-state features have been built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and will be <br />operated by the California Department of Water Resources. Financing is 55 percent state and 45 per- <br />cent federal. More on this subject later. <br /> <br />The first water entered the San Luis Canal on April 3, when four gates in the O'Neill Forebay <br />(formerly caIled San Luis Forebay) were raised slightly. The next step in the journey south was taken <br />in June when the Dos Amigos Pumping Plant, 16 miles to the south, began lifting the water 125 feet <br />into the second reach of the San Luis Canal. <br /> <br />By the end of next month the final three reaches of the San Luis Canal will be complete, and <br />water will be delivered to Kettleman City, 102 miles from O'Neill Forebay. <br /> <br />Later next year the California Aqueduct will pick up the water at Kettleman City and will be- <br />gin making deliveries to State Water Project customers in the area north of the Tehachapis. <br /> <br />Then we come to the Tehachapi Crossing, where 1,800,000 gallons of water per minute will be <br />lifted 1,938 feet to the summit of the Tehachapi Mountains. <br /> <br />Excavation for the Tehachapi Pumping Plant is already complete, and general construction <br />work is under way, Giant pumps will be needed to make the "Big Lift" a reality, and bid awards on <br />some of these already have been made. <br /> <br />Here the water will be raised through twin discharge lines and a series of tunnels to a height of <br />3,357 feet above sea level. Then the descent begins, with the main line going to San Bernardino and <br />Riverside Counties to a terminal point at Perris reservoir, and the West Branch to Los Angeles County <br />and Castaic reservoir. Construction at Castaic is on the move. <br /> <br />-29- <br /> <br />