San Clemente Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Clemente Dam |
|
|---|---|
San Clemente Dam in 1921, shortly before its reservoir was impounded
|
|
 Location of San Clemente Dam in California
|
|
| Country | United States |
| Location | Monterey, California |
| Coordinates | 36°26′9.11″N 121°42′31.56″W / 36.4358639°N 121.7087667°W |
| Purpose | Water supply |
| Status | Demolished |
| Construction began | 1918 |
| Opening date | 1921 |
| Demolition date | November 2015 |
| Owner(s) | California American Water |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Arch |
| Impounds | Carmel River |
| Height (foundation) | 106 ft (32 m) |
| Length | 300 ft (91 m) |
| Dam volume | 7,070 cu yd (5,410 m3) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | San Clemente Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 70 acre⋅ft (86,000 m3) |
The San Clemente Dam was a large arch dam built on the Carmel River in Monterey County, California, in the United States. It was about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Monterey. The dam was finished in 1921. Its main job was to provide water for the people living on the Monterey Peninsula. However, because of safety worries and environmental issues, the dam was taken down in November 2015.
Why the Dam Was Built
The San Clemente Dam was built by Samuel Morse. He owned the Del Monte Properties Company. His goal was to provide municipal water (water for cities) to the growing number of people on the Monterey Peninsula. This new dam would replace an older one, the Old Carmel River Dam, which was built in 1883.
The San Clemente Dam cost about US$300,000 to build. It was designed by J.A. Wilcox. The company Chadwick & Sykes Inc of San Francisco constructed it. Building started in 1918 and finished in 1921. The dam was 106 feet (32 meters) tall. About 7,070 cubic yards (5,400 cubic meters) of concrete were used. Soon after it was finished, a special fish ladder was added. This helped fish move past the dam.
In 1930, Samuel Morse sold the dam to Chester Loveland. He owned the California Water and Telephone Company (CWTC). Later, in 1966, California American Water (CAW) bought CWTC. This meant CAW became the owner of the dam. They paid US$42 million for it.
Why the Dam Was Removed
When the dam was first built, its reservoir (the lake behind it) could hold a lot of water. It held about 1,425 acre-feet (1.76 million cubic meters) of water. But over many years, a huge amount of sediment (like sand and dirt) built up behind the dam. By 2008, the reservoir could only hold about 70 acre-feet (86,000 cubic meters) of water. This was a very small amount.
Sediment buildup can be a big problem for dams. Also, the San Clemente Dam was located near a fault line. This meant there was a risk of earthquakes. Because of these dangers, the California Department of Water Resources (CDWR) warned in 1991 that the dam could fail. They started looking for ways to fix the problem.
In 1992, CAW had to make the dam safer. They drilled holes in the dam's face to reduce water pressure. This project cost US$1 million. In February 2008, the CDWR approved a plan to remove the dam. This plan was called the Carmel River Reroute & San Clemente Dam plan. CAW agreed to this plan in 2010.
The Removal Project
The project involved changing the path of the Carmel River. Upstream of the dam, the river was moved into a new half-mile-long channel. This channel led the river into San Clemente Creek. This creek had less sediment. The part of the Carmel River that had most of the sediment became a permanent storage area. It was too hard to remove all the sediment from there.
About 380,000 cubic yards (290,000 cubic meters) of sediment also had to be dug out from San Clemente Creek. This sediment was moved to the storage area in the Carmel River. Once the sediment was safely stored, both the San Clemente Dam and the Old Carmel River Dam were completely removed.
Construction for the project started in 2013. The Carmel River was successfully moved to its new path by December 2014. By November 2015, the San Clemente Dam was gone. The entire project, including removing the Old Carmel River Dam, was finished in 2016. The total cost of this big project was US$84 million. CAW paid US$49 million. The State of California gave US$25 million. The rest of the money came from the U.S. government and other sources.
Removing the dam had many good results. It opened up about 7 miles (11 km) of the river. This allowed rainbow trout to migrate freely again. It also made the habitat better for the California red-legged frog.
See also
In Spanish: Presa de San Clemente para niños
