Everything about The California Aqueduct totally explained
The
California Aqueduct is a
444 mile (715 km)-long
(External Link
) aqueduct in the
United States that carries water from
Northern California to
Southern California. A typical section has a
concrete-lined channel
40 feet (12 m) wide at the base and an average water depth of about
30 feet (9 m). The widest section of the aqueduct is
110 feet (33.5 m) and the deepest is
32.8 feet (10 m). The size of the channel varies according to how much capacity that section of the aqueduct was projected to need. The channel and pumping capacities at the start of the aqueduct are 10,300 and 10,670 cubic feet per second (292 and 302 m³/s), respectively. The largest channel capacity is 13,100 ft³/s (371 m³/s) and the largest pumping plant capacity (Dos Amigos) is 15,450 ft³/s (437 m³/s).
The aqueduct begins at the
San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta at the
Banks Pumping Plant which pumps from the Clifton Court Forebay. Water is pumped by the Banks Pumping Plant to the
Bethany Reservoir. The reservoir serves as a forebay for the
South Bay Aqueduct via the
South Bay Pumping Plant. From the Bethany Reservoir the aqueduct flows by gravity approximately
60 miles (97 km) to the O'Neil Forebay at the
San Luis Reservoir. From the O'Neil Forebay it flows approximately
15 miles (24 km) to the Dos Amigos Pumping Plant. After the Dos Amigos the aqueduct flows about
95 miles (153 km) to where the
Coastal Branch splits from the "main line". The split is approximately
10 miles (16 km) south-southeast of
Kettleman City. After the coastal branch, the line continues by gravity another
66 miles (106 km) to the Buena Vista Pumping Plant. From the Buena Vista it flows approximately
27 miles (43 km) to the Teerink Pumping Plant. After Teerlink it flows about
2.5 miles (4 km) to the Chrisman Pumping Plant. Chrisman is the last pumping plant before
Edmonston Pumping Plant, which is
13 miles (21 km) from Chrisman. South of the plant the coastal branch splits off in a southwesterly direction to serve the central coast. At Edmonston Pumping Plant it's pumped
1,926 feet (600 m) over the
Tehachapi Mountains.
Once it has crossed the Tehachapis the aqueduct divides into two branches; the West and the East Branch. The East Branch feeds
Lake Perris and the
San Gorgonio Pass area, while the West Branch heads towards
Pyramid Lake and
Castaic Lake in the
Angeles National Forest to supply the western Los Angeles basin.
Water flows through the aqueduct in a series of abrupt rises and gradual falls. The water flows down a long segment, built at a slight grade, and arrives at a pumping station powered by
Path 66 or
Path 15. The pumping station raises the water, where it again gradually flows downhill to the next station. However, where there are substantial drops, the water's
potential energy is recaptured by
hydroelectric plants. The initial pumping station fed by the Sacramento River Delta raises the water
240 feet (73 m), while a series of pumps culminating at the Edmonston Pumping Plant raises the water
1,926 feet (600 m) to cross the Tehachapi Mountains. The Edmonston Pumping station requires so much power that several
power lines off of Path 15 and
Path 26 are needed to ensure proper operation of the pumps.
The
Department of Water Resources (DWR) operates and maintains the California Aqueduct, including two
pumped-storage hydroelectric plants, Castaic and Gianelli. Gianelli is located at the base of
San Luis Dam, which forms San Luis Reservoir, the largest offstream
reservoir in the United States. The
Castaic Dam and Castaic Power Plant are located on the northern end of Castaic Lake.
Further Information
Get more info on 'California Aqueduct'.
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