What Led To The Expansion Of The California Water System

The 1800s in California was nothing like the California that we know today. The state was much less populous; there was little in terms of livestock and agriculture; places like LA and Hollywood were not nearly the large metropolises that they are now. Although there were many factors that played into this large expansion, there was one thing that none of it could have happened without: WATER. The creation of aqueducts led to the expansion of the California water system as we know it. Reservoirs and dams were created, leading to both innovation and disaster. Some of the most pivotal moments in California’s history would be during the years that the water system was developed and ran by William Mullholland. The day that Mr. Mulholland
By 1900 the population had grown to over 100,000 (Los Angeles Almanac, 2017). The increase in population and manufacturing led to a massive increase in the consumption of water. Although there were aqueducts being built in other areas of California, Los Angeles and surrounding areas only obtained their supply of water from the small LA River. With the drought during the beginning of the 20th century there was an “urgent need to find a better, more consistent water supply if city leaders were to transform the city into a major West Coast metropolis” (“Los Angeles Aqueduct,” 2010). In 1902, self-taught water-worker and ditch-digger Mulholland would become the Los Angeles Water Company’s first superintendent and chief engineer appointed by Los Angeles Mayor, Fred Eaton. Eaton and Mulholland worked together in the development of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, which would bring water into LA from Owens River. With millions of dollars in private funding from investors, Mulholland and a crew of a couple thousand men, machines, and mules spent eight years constructing the aqueduct. In 1913, the aqueduct was completed, marking a personal triumph for Mulholland and a turning point in California’s history (“William Mulholland,”
Although the building of the aqueduct system was crucial in expansion of Southern California, it was devastating to the people of Owens Valley. The lake was drained, farms were deprived of water, and “nearly every drop . . .was pumped into the steadily growing San Fernando Valley” (“Los Angeles Aqueduct,” 2010). This stemmed what came to be known as the California water wars. Mullholland, unknowingly, participated with Eaton who was purchasing land for considerable amounts throughout Owens Valley. These underhanded methods helped the Los Angeles Water Department acquire water rights while blocking protection for the citizens living in Owens Valley. Owens Valley farming community and ecosystem was devastated; it would eventually dry up, lose its agriculture and rich diversity, and what was once a green valley would ultimately become a desolate desert. With the expansion of the water system in California came the need for reservoirs and dams to prevent water runoffs in times of drought for the ever-expanding population. While the LA aqueduct would be an accomplishment, the creation of dams would end up being both productive and disastrous for Mulholland and California alike. The collapse of the St. Francis Dam was is considered to be one of the greatest American civil engineering failure in the 20th