Auburn Dam
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The Auburn Dam would be the largest
concrete arched dam in the world. It was
a project of the Bureau of Reclamation.
The purpose of this dam was
hydroelectricity production, recreation,
water supply and most importantly flood
control of the Sacramento valley. The
dam would have:
Structural height: 800ft
Crest length: 4000ft
Concrete volume: 6.5 million cubic yards
In 1965, the project received the
Congress’s Authorization and geologic
and other investigations began and
finally suggested the arch concrete dam
type. With the yellow arrow, you can see
the flip bucket spillway at the left
abutment of the dam. Also you can see
the foundation of the left abutment of
the dam.
The dam is located in the western
foothill metamorphic belt of the Sierra
Nevada and the area consists mainly of
amphibolite. Serpentine can be
identified in faults. There is also a
contact metamorphic sequence due to
the intrusion episode of the Sierra
Nevada batholith.
concrete arched dam in the world. It was
a project of the Bureau of Reclamation.
The purpose of this dam was
hydroelectricity production, recreation,
water supply and most importantly flood
control of the Sacramento valley. The
dam would have:
Structural height: 800ft
Crest length: 4000ft
Concrete volume: 6.5 million cubic yards
In 1965, the project received the
Congress’s Authorization and geologic
and other investigations began and
finally suggested the arch concrete dam
type. With the yellow arrow, you can see
the flip bucket spillway at the left
abutment of the dam. Also you can see
the foundation of the left abutment of
the dam.
The dam is located in the western
foothill metamorphic belt of the Sierra
Nevada and the area consists mainly of
amphibolite. Serpentine can be
identified in faults. There is also a
contact metamorphic sequence due to
the intrusion episode of the Sierra
Nevada batholith.
References:
Leaflet of the Bureau of Reclamation Mid Pacific region about the Auburn-Folsom Unit and information collected during the field
trip in the Sierra Nevada, as part of the "Engineering Geology" course curriculum, instructed by Professor N. Sitar, Department
of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California at Berkeley.
The 1971 San Fernando earthquake and the 1975 Oroville Earthquake had initiated more extensive geotechnical investigations.
As a result of these investigations, a fault, which was part of the Foothill fault system, was identified and for that reason the
design has changed to a curved gravity dam.
The construction stopped because the scenario of failures increased the public awareness and stopped the project. A failure
of this dam would cause also the failure of the Folsom dam and would finally flood the city of Sacramento. Even though, this
scenario was not so possible, the probability of the existent truncated fault to cause a movement of 8-12inches could not be
discounted.
For that reason, in 1975, the construction of the dam stopped.
With the red arrow is indicated the embankment. The embankment was overtopped during a flood for which the bypass tunnel
was not designed for. . The tunnel, since then, has been leading the waters through the mountain. This tunnel was designed
probably for a 20-year flood, and since so many years passed, the fact that it finally failed once should not be considered a
failure.
As a result of these investigations, a fault, which was part of the Foothill fault system, was identified and for that reason the
design has changed to a curved gravity dam.
The construction stopped because the scenario of failures increased the public awareness and stopped the project. A failure
of this dam would cause also the failure of the Folsom dam and would finally flood the city of Sacramento. Even though, this
scenario was not so possible, the probability of the existent truncated fault to cause a movement of 8-12inches could not be
discounted.
For that reason, in 1975, the construction of the dam stopped.
With the red arrow is indicated the embankment. The embankment was overtopped during a flood for which the bypass tunnel
was not designed for. . The tunnel, since then, has been leading the waters through the mountain. This tunnel was designed
probably for a 20-year flood, and since so many years passed, the fact that it finally failed once should not be considered a
failure.
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