Santa Anita Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa Anita Dam |
|
|---|---|
| Location | Sierra Madre, California |
| Coordinates | 34°18′37″N 118°01′59″W / 34.31028°N 118.03306°W |
| Construction began | 1924 |
| Opening date | 1927 |
| Construction cost | $17 million |
| Owner(s) | Los Angeles County Flood Control District |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Concrete thin arch |
| Impounds | Santa Anita Creek |
| Height | 225 ft (69 m) |
| Length | 612 ft (187 m) |
| Width (base) | 61.5 ft (18.7 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Santa Anita Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 1,028 acre⋅ft (1,268,000 m3) |
| Catchment area | 10.8 sq mi (28 km2) |
| Surface area | 17 acres (6.9 ha) |
The Santa Anita Dam, also called the Big Santa Anita Dam, is a large concrete wall built across the Santa Anita Creek. You can find it in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, California. This dam is owned by the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. It helps control floods, saves water, and stops dirt and rocks from flowing downstream.
The dam stands 225 feet (69 m) tall and stretches 612 feet (187 m) long. It can hold a lot of water, up to 1,028 acre⋅ft (1,268,000 m3). The area that collects water for the dam is about 10.8 square miles (28 km2). Workers built the dam between 1923 and 1927.
Contents
What is the Santa Anita Dam?
The Santa Anita Dam is a special type of dam called a concrete thin arch dam. Imagine a giant, curved wall that leans against the water. This curved shape helps the dam stand strong against the pressure of the water behind it. It's like an arch bridge, but for water!
How Dams Help Us
Dams like Santa Anita are super important for several reasons:
- Flood Control: They can hold back huge amounts of water during heavy rains. This stops rivers from overflowing and flooding nearby towns and homes.
- Water Conservation: They store water for when it's dry. This stored water can be used for drinking, farming, and other needs.
- Debris Control: They catch dirt, rocks, and other stuff that washes down from the mountains. This keeps the water cleaner and protects things downstream.
Where is the Santa Anita Dam Located?
The dam is tucked away in the steep hills of the San Gabriel Mountains. It's just north of the towns of Sierra Madre and Arcadia. The dam is also right near the edge of the Angeles National Forest.
You can see parts of the dam from Santa Anita Canyon Road. This road follows the side of the Santa Anita Canyon. It also leads to many hiking trails further up the creek. While the road right down to the dam is closed, some trails might offer views of the reservoir.
Keeping the Dam Safe
Since the 1990s, the amount of water the dam can store has been limited. This is to make sure the dam stays safe, especially if there's an earthquake. This safety measure has caused a lot of dirt and sand to build up in the reservoir.
Cleaning the Reservoir
To fix the buildup of dirt, a big cleaning project started in 2009. The reservoir was completely emptied of water. Then, about 6,750,000 cubic yards (5,160,000 m3) of sediment (that's a lot of dirt and sand!) was removed. This helps the dam work better and hold more water when needed.
