Sepulveda Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sepulveda Dam |
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 Location in the San Fernando Valley
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| Country | United States |
| Location | San Fernando Valley, California |
| Coordinates | 34°10′02″N 118°28′24″W / 34.1671°N 118.4732°W |
| Purpose | Flood control |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1940 |
| Opening date | 1941 |
| Construction cost | $6,650,561 |
| Owner(s) |  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Los Angeles River |
| Height (thalweg) | 57 feet (17 m) |
| Length | 2.93 miles (4.72 km) |
| Elevation at crest | 725 feet (221 m) |
| Width (crest) | 30 feet (9.1 m) |
| Spillway type | Concrete ogee |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 17,300 acre⋅ft (21,300,000 m3) |
| Website Corps Lakes Gateway - Sepulveda Dam |
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The Sepulveda Dam is a special kind of dry dam built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its main job is to hold back flood waters during winter storms along the Los Angeles River. The dam was finished in 1941. It cost about $6.6 million to build.
You can find the Sepulveda Dam in the middle of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. It's about 8 miles (13 km) east of where the Los Angeles River starts. This dam, along with the Hansen Dam, was built after a huge flood in 1938. That flood caused a lot of damage and sadly, 144 people lost their lives.
The dam can hold a lot of water, about 17,300 acre feet (21.3 million cubic meters). This means it can stop about 2.25 inches (5.7 cm) of rain runoff from the 141 square miles (365 square kilometers) of land upstream. When it was built, the dam was at the edge of the city. East of the dam, the river was made narrower as the city grew.
Today, the area behind the dam is called the Sepulveda Basin. It's a big, open space in the center of the Valley. It's used for a wildlife refuge and many fun outdoor activities. After the 1938 flood, many dry riverbeds in the Valley were lined with concrete. Now, some of these are becoming bike paths.
The Sepulveda Basin is home to several cool places. These include Woodley Park, a field for model airplanes, The Japanese Garden, and a wildlife refuge. There's also a water treatment plant and an armory. All these facilities are designed to handle it if the basin fills with water during a flood.
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Building the Sepulveda Dam
In 1914, a flood caused $10 million in damage to the growing areas around the river. People demanded action to stop the floods from happening again. The next year, the Los Angeles County Flood Control District was created. They started by making some river sections into channels and planning for new reservoirs.
Voters approved money in 1917 and 1924 to build the first big dams. But there wasn't enough money for the important work needed downstream of these dams. After two more damaging floods in the 1930s, especially the 1938 flood, the government asked for help.
The Army Corps of Engineers took charge. They worked to channelize the river and build several dams. These dams would create basins to control floods. The channelization project started in 1938 and was finished by 1960. It created the 51-mile (82 km) engineered waterway we see today. The Hansen Dam was completed in 1940, and the Sepulveda Dam followed in 1941.
Later, in 1973, Burbank Boulevard was built through the Sepulveda Basin. Woodley Avenue was also built in the recreation area in 1975.
Sepulveda Basin for the 2028 Olympics
The area around the Sepulveda Dam will be a special place during the 2028 Summer Olympics. It will host several exciting sports events. These include 3x3 basketball, BMX racing and freestyle, modern pentathlon, and skateboarding.
How to Get to Sepulveda Dam
If you use public transportation, you can get off the G Line at either Balboa station or Woodley station. These stations are close to the dam area.
Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area
The Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area is a huge 2,000-acre (810 ha) space. It's a flood control basin in Encino that is managed by the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks. It offers many ways to enjoy the outdoors.
Woodley Park Fun
Woodley Park is a big city park located on Woodley Avenue. Inside the park, you'll find the Leo Magnus Cricket Complex, a special park for dogs, and many picnic areas for groups. This park first opened in 1975.
Right next to Woodley Park is The Japanese Garden. This beautiful 6.5-acre (2.6 ha) public garden is located on the grounds of the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant.
Lake Balboa Park Adventures
Lake Balboa Park, also known as Anthony C. Beilenson Park, is an 80-acre (32 ha) park with lots of water activities. You can rent boats and go fishing in Lake Balboa. The lake itself is 27 acres (11 ha) and is filled with recycled water from the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant. The park also has barbecue pits, a playground for kids, picnic tables, and covered picnic spots. You'll see many beautiful Flowering cherry trees here.
The Balboa Station for the G Line is at the north end of the park.
Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve
The Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve is a special place for nature lovers. It's located at the southeast end of the Sepulveda Flood Control Basin. The reserve has two parts: the North Reserve and the South Reserve. They are on either side of Burbank Boulevard. Both sections have nature paths and hiking trails. You can park in eastern Woodley Park or off Burbank Boulevard.
Haskell Creek flows through this nature preserve, and there are several ponds for wildlife. More than 200 types of birds have been seen here! Many birds stop here during their long journeys in the spring and fall. The reserve is working to bring back native California plants. Some native trees you might see include Fremont's cottonwood, Coast live oak, Valley Oak, California Black Walnut, and California sycamore.
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Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area Bike Path
The Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area Bike Path is a 9-mile (14 km) bike path that loops around the recreation area. It's a very popular path! The route goes from Victory Boulevard near the San Diego Freeway (I-405). It heads west to White Oak Avenue, then south to Burbank Boulevard. From there, it goes east on Burbank to Woodley Boulevard, and then north on Woodley back to Victory Boulevard.
This bike path is mostly flat, with no steep hills. It's easy to access and offers continuous riding. You might see joggers on the sections along Victory and Burbank. Sometimes, you might find burr-bearing weeds, so be careful with your tires! You can also see the Apollo II Model Airplane Field from the path.
There is plenty of free parking at the public parks, sports fields, and golf courses along Burbank, Woodley, and Balboa Boulevards. The bike paths connect to playgrounds, bathrooms, and natural areas. They also link up to the Orange Line bike path that crosses the valley.
A shorter route goes south on Balboa Boulevard. This path crosses a natural part of the Los Angeles River. This section is lined with native Arroyo willows, California sycamores, and other California native plants.
Sepulveda Basin River Recreation Zone
The Sepulveda Basin River Recreation Zone is a special part of the Los Angeles River. It stretches from above Balboa Boulevard to where Haskell Creek joins the river below Burbank Boulevard. During the summer, you can enjoy non-motorized boating here. However, some areas along the banks are protected for wildlife, so access might be limited.
Other Fun Facilities
The Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area has even more places for fun:
- Balboa Sports Complex: This complex has a children's play area, a community room, and an indoor gym. It also has lighted fields for baseball, basketball courts, soccer fields, football, handball courts, tennis courts, and volleyball courts.
- Hjelte Sports Center: Here you'll find softball diamonds.
- Sepulveda Garden Center: This is a community garden with 800 garden plots spread over 20 acres (8.1 ha). It also has a public activity center building.
- Sherman Oaks Castle Park: This park offers miniature golf, an arcade, and batting cages.
- Golf Courses: There are three 18-hole golf courses: Encino Golf Course, Balboa Golf Course, and Woodley Lakes Golf Course.
- Apollo XI Field: A field dedicated to model airplanes.
See also
