Van Norman Dams
| Van Norman Dams | |
|---|---|
An oblique aerial view of the Lower Van Norman Dam, taken after the February 9, 1971, San Fernando Earthquake | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Los Angeles County, California |
| Coordinates | 34°17′10″N 118°28′47″W / 34.2862°N 118.4796°W |
| Purpose | Water supply |
| Status | Decommissioned |
| Construction began | 1919 (upper dam) 1911 (lower dam) |
| Opening date | 1921 (upper dam) November 5, 1913 (lower dam) |
| Demolition date | February 9, 1971 |
| Built by | Los Angeles Bureau of Water Works and Supply |
| Upper dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Earth fill dam |
| Impounds | Los Angeles Aqueduct Bull Creek |
| Height (foundation) | 60 feet (18 m) |
| Length | 1,200 feet (370 m) |
| Elevation at crest | 1,218 feet (371 m) |
| Width (crest) | 20 feet (6.1 m) |
| Upper reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 1,800 acre⋅ft (2.2×106 m3) |
| Normal elevation | 1,213.2 feet (369.8 m) |
| Lower dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Earth fill dam |
| Height (foundation) | 142 feet (43 m) |
| Length | 2,080 feet (630 m) |
| Elevation at crest | 1,144.6 feet (348.9 m) |
| Lower reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 20,000 acre⋅ft (25×106 m3) |
| Normal elevation | 1,134.6 feet (345.8 m) |
| Commission date | October 1922 |
| Type | Conventional |
| Turbines | 2× 2.8 MW |
The Van Norman Dams, also known as the San Fernando Dams, were the terminus of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, supplying about 80 percent of Los Angeles' water, until they were damaged in the 1971 San Fernando earthquake and were subsequently decommissioned due to the inherent instability of the site and their location directly above heavily populated areas.