Dry Canyon Reservoir Explained

Dry Canyon Reservoir
Location:Santa Clarita Valley, Los Angeles County, California
Coords:34.4845°N -118.529°W
Type:Reservoir
Inflow:Los Angeles Aqueduct
Dry Canyon Creek
Outflow:Los Angeles Aqueduct
Dry Canyon Creek
Length:780feet
Volume:72750ft3
Elevation:1455feet
Islands:None
Cities:Santa Clarita
Pushpin Map:Santa Clarita##Los Angeles#California
Pushpin Label Position:none

Dry Canyon Reservoir is a small reservoir formed by an embankment dam on Dry Canyon Creek in the foothills of the Sierra Pelona Mountains of northern Los Angeles County, California, just north of the city of Santa Clarita. It was designed as a part of the Los Angeles Aqueduct system.

History

Constructed from 1910 to 1912, the 72750ft3 lake with a surface elevation of approximately 1514feet above sea level regulated the flow of water from the irregular flow discharged from the power plants in San Francisquito Canyon. The incoming water from San Francisquito came from Tunnel 77 and the outgoing water went out Tunnel 78. Water from the lake was distributed via the Los Angeles Aqueduct to the northern portion of the Greater Los Angeles Area.[1] [2]

Draining the Reservoir

Following damages incurred by the dam itself during the 1952 Kern County earthquake and growing concerns over its structural integrity, the reservoir was drained in 1966. Since the early 1970s, efforts had been made to refill the reservoir but these plans have since been abandoned due to high costs. In the decades that followed, the suburban communities of Santa Clarita had grown northward to fill the narrow valley just downstream. The course of Dry Canyon Creek south of the reservoir was then funneled down a concrete wash to prevent flooding of the surrounding communities.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dry Canyon.
  2. Web site: Complete Report on Construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. 1916.