Brock Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brock Reservoir |
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 Brock Reservoir
Location in California
Brock Reservoir
Location in the United States
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| Location | Imperial County, California, United States, near Gordons Well, California |
| Coordinates | 32°42′58″N 115°02′10″W / 32.716°N 115.036°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 485 acres (196 ha) |
| Average depth | 22 feet (6.7 m) |
| Max. depth | 22 ft (6.7 m) |
| Water volume | 8,000 acre-feet (9,900,000 m3) |
Brock Reservoir is a special man-made lake in Imperial County, California. It's near a place called Gordons Well, California. This reservoir helps save water from the Colorado River. Sometimes, water is sent from Lake Mead for farmers. But if they don't need it right away, this reservoir stores it. It can hold about 8,000 acre-feet of water. That's like 2.6 billion gallons! The reservoir is used often, filling up and emptying many times each year. It holds water from the All-American Canal until farmers need it for their crops.
Contents
How Brock Reservoir Is Built
The Brock Reservoir covers about 485 acres of land. It is made up of two large sections, like two big pools. These pools are surrounded by strong dirt walls called berms. The walls are lined with a special plastic material. This plastic helps stop water from leaking out. On top of the plastic is a 10-inch layer of soil cement. This layer protects the plastic lining.
Connecting to the Canal
A long channel, about 6.5 miles, brings water into the reservoir. This channel connects directly to the All-American Canal. There is also a shorter canal, about a quarter-mile long. This canal, with a special siphon system, sends water back to the All-American Canal. This way, farmers can use the stored water when they need it.
Testing the Reservoir
Engineers started filling the reservoir in October 2010. They wanted to check for any leaks. For 28 days, they watched it closely. They found no leaks. The reservoir only lost about 6 inches of water. This small loss was due to evaporation, which is when water turns into vapor and goes into the air. The reservoir is only filled with water that farmers don't use. This happens if rain provides enough water for their crops. The saved water is then ready for them later.
How It's Controlled
The Imperial Irrigation District runs the reservoir. This district supplies water to farmers in California. They can open and close the gates from far away. This lets them control how much water goes into the reservoir. They also control how much water goes back to the main canal system.
Why Brock Reservoir Was Built
The Brock Reservoir is named after Warren H. Brock. He was a farmer and researcher in the Imperial Valley. This reservoir helps solve a big problem. Before, extra Colorado River water in the All-American Canal would flow into Mexico. This water was then "lost" to the United States.
The Water Saving Problem
Here's how the problem worked: Water is ordered from Lake Mead. It takes about five days for this water to reach the farmers. But sometimes, it rains during those five days. If it rains, farmers don't need the water they ordered. Without a place to store it, the water would just keep flowing into Mexico. The Brock Reservoir stops this waste.
A Plan to Save Water
The idea for the reservoir came after a plan in 2007. This plan helped manage water during droughts. Seven states along the Colorado River agreed to it. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation thinks this project can save a lot of water. They estimate it could save up to 70,000 acre-feet of water each year. That's enough water for many thousands of homes! The project was approved in 2008. Construction was finished in October 2010.
Who Paid for It
The project cost about $172 million. Three main water districts helped pay for it. The Southern Nevada Water Authority gave $115 million. The Central Arizona Project and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California each gave $28.6 million. In return, Nevada can use 400,000 acre-feet of water over 20 years. Arizona and California can each use 100,000 acre-feet starting in 2016. Nevada paid the most because they faced a higher risk of running out of water. The more money a state put in, the more saved water they would get to use.
