Reservoir Sediment Management Practices of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works

Kumar, Sree; Moreno, Martin; ,

Reservoir Sediment Management Practices of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works

by Sree Kumar,
Martin Moreno,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: North American Water and Environment Congress & Destructive Water

Abstract:

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (Department), which includes the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, owns and operates 15 major flood control dams. Most of these facilities were built between 1917 and 1937 along the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, one of the highest and steepest mountain ranges in the continental United States. Over the past 60-years, approximately 144 million cubic yards (mcy) of sediment has deposited in the reservoirs. The removal of this sediment accounts for a large portion of the Department's maintenance budget. The Department has removed about 101 mcy of sediment, with about 43 mcy of sediment still remaining in storage behind the 15 reservoirs. This reduction in storage capacity and continued accumulation of sediment in the reservoirs decreases the level of flood control and water conservation benefits provided by these facilities.

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