California Aqueduct
The Delta–Mendota Canal (left) and the California Aqueduct (right) near Tracy, California
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| Official name | Governor Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct |
|---|---|
| Begins |
Clifton Court Forebay, Contra Costa County 37°49′48″N 121°33′25″W / 37.829927°N 121.556894°W |
| Ends |
West Branch Castaic Lake, Los Angeles County 34°35′15″N 118°39′25″W / 34.587379°N 118.656893°W East Branch Silverwood Lake, San Bernardino County 34°18′12″N 117°19′12″W / 34.303457°N 117.319908°W Coastal Branch Lake Cachuma, Santa Barbara County 34°35′12″N 119°58′52″W / 34.586656°N 119.980975°W |
| Maintained by | California Department of Water Resources |
| Length | 701.5 mi (1,129.0 km) |
| Conduit height | 33 m (108 ft) max. |
| Conduit width | 10 m (33 ft) max. |
| Capacity | 370 m3/s (13,000 cu ft/s) |
| Construction began | 1963 |
| Opening date | Coastal Branch 1997 |
| References: | |
The Governor Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct is a system of canals, tunnels, and pipelines that conveys water collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and valleys of Northern and Central California to Southern California. The over 400-mile (640 km) aqueduct is the principal feature of the California State Water Project.
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) operates and maintains the California Aqueduct, including one pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, Gianelli Power Plant. 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 Power Plant, while similar and which is owned and operated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, is located on the northern end of Castaic Lake, while Castaic Dam is located at the southern end.
It is named after California Governor Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown Sr.
The Central Valley of California is surrounded by high mountains that are eroding into the valley itself. The valley is somewhat rebounding from recent ice age interglacial glaciations. The region is prone to significant earthquakes due to the many faults and fault lines that pass through the region.
The flatness of the valley bottom contrasts with the rugged hills or gentle mountains that are typical of most of California's terrain. The valley is thought to have originated below sea level as an offshore area depressed by subduction of the Farallon Plate into a trench further offshore. The San Joaquin Fault is a notable seismic feature of the Central Valley.
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