" CALIFORNIA'S STATE WATER PROJEC T" 1965 CONSTRUCTION OF OROVILLE DAM PROMO FILM XD76885

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This film shows the building of the Oroville Dam in California beginning in October 1961. This is an earthfill embankment dam on the Feather River east of the city of Oroville, California, in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of the Sacramento Valley. At 770 feet (235 m) high, it is the tallest dam in the U.S and serves mainly for water supply, hydroelectricity generation, and flood control. The dam impounds Lake Oroville, the second-largest reservoir in California.

Film presented by the state of California Resources Agency, Department of Water Resources (:29). Governor Edmund G. Brown sets off a dynamite blast (:53) in Feather River Canyon. A wide shot of the completed dam follows (1:09). It was a key feature of the California state water project (1:12). SWP is the largest public water & power utility in the world with a responsibility to provide drinking water for a population of over 27 million. The California state water project began in 1951 as water supply became inadequate for the population growth. Earth movers run across the construction site (1:19).  Early construction shots show the construction of pipelines (1:52), canals (1:55), construction steel (1:59) and surge tanks (2:06). Workers conditions are depicted; boots in thick mucky brown water (2:14), dark tunnels (2:20) and dust spirals up from under bulldozer tires (2:23). The sun sets on the first day of construction (2:50). Mercury vapor lights flick on (2:53). Shots follow of everyday needs for water; a baby splashes in a white porcelain tub (4:01) and a sprinkler system sprays over a well-manicured lawn (4:09). Water requirements per person are discussed (4:33). Issues with providing civilians with necessary water supply are discussed (5:16). A map shows the SWP designed by state engineers (5:38) enabled by the Burns Porter Act in 1960. Planned location of the upper Feather River facilities (5:53). The projected system of reservoirs, canals and pumping plants are noted (5:59). Waters of Feather River (6:11) once flowing into the Pacific Ocean are redirected. Future reservoirs and dams created by this project follow. Frenchman dam (6:44) and the Antelope Valley Dam and reservoir (7:03). A construction site for the third; Grizzly Mountain (7:11) was planned for 1966. Construction footage returns with a detailed breakdown of the movement of earth for the dam. Earth movers place yards of clay (7:33). A bucket wheel excavator digs at dredger tailings (8:15). Material moves down a series of conveyor belts (8:31). Trains of 40 gondola cars run material to the dam site (9:15). Cars are loaded at the dredger tilling stockpile (9:35). Conveyor belts (10:04) connect to train loading hoppers (10:07). Giant rotary dumpers invert railroad cars (10:36). Material continues through conveyor belts (11:05) to the hopper. 100ton pneumatic compactors roll over base material (12:06). The left abutment of the dam is highlighted (12:12). A diagram depicts the underground machine hall (12:17). Some environmental disturbances arose with this massive movement of land and water including the separation of fish such as salmon from their breeding grounds in the upper feather river (13:22). A fish ferrier damn was constructed in an attempt to rectify this (13:27). This dam also forced the construction of the highest suspension bridge in the U.S. (15:01); the Middle Fork Bridge. The California aqueduct(15:58) is the main artery of the SWP. Completed shots of the delta intake channel (16:03) and pumping plant follow. The south bay aqueduct is broken down (16:46). Livermore Valley is pictured (16:57). The Delta Mendota canal (17:10) and North Bay aqueduct follow (17:14). The San Louis dam is pictured under construction (17:34). San Louis was constructed in clay unlike the Oroville dam (18:00). A 100 ton bottom dump tractor trailer (18:38) loads up. Heavy rock covering the upstream face of the dam (18:51) is moved by power shovels (19:04). Another issue arose; of subsidence (20:15). Engineers decided to pond water (20:44) along the aqueduct. The Tehachapi’s range stands (21:06) near Bakersfield. A series of pumps and surge tanks were to lift the water over the range (21:24). The aqueducts' line south is traced (21:56). It was projected that by 1972, water from Feather River would be able to reach San Diego. The film was prepared by Graphic Services Branch Department of Water Resources (24:30). 

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com