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- The role of engineering geology in building the California state water project
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The role of engineering geology in building the California state water project
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Abstract
The State of California is blessed with an adequate but maldistributed water supply. Approximately two-thirds of its rainfall occurs in the north, largely during winter months, while the greatest demand for water is in the south. A $2.3 billion water project has been constructed to capture and regulate flood and other surplus waters and convey them to areas of need within the State.
A staff of 128 engineering geologists investigated more than 100 variations of alignment for the 1,100 kilometer aqueduct and the sites for its 21 dams, 6 powerplants, and 22 pumping stations. This paper considers three select studies which influenced the routing of the State Water Project and its design and construction:
(1) the earthquake hazards imposed by the San Andreas and other active faults;
(2) four kinds of land subsidence with which the aqueduct had to contend; and
(3) the development of a procedure for estimating costs of tunnel construction based upon geologic factors.