April 8th 2003
The Olivenhain Dam.
Above: They are staining the Olivenhain Dam to a brown color.
Above: Updated picture of the staining of the Olivenhain Dam.
The Olivenhain Dam will have a storage capacity of 24,000 acre-feet of water. Of the available supply, 4,000 acre-feet will be dedicated to Olivenhain Municipal Water District's operational use, and the remaining water will be available for emergency water use throughout the county.
An Engineering Marvel
When built, the Olivenhain Dam will be an impressive engineering accomplishment.
It will be the first roller-compacted concrete dam in California, and at 318
feet high, stand taller than any other roller-compacted concrete dam in North
America.Construction of the dam began in 2000 and will require 1.3 million cubic
yards of roller-compacted concrete. Roller-compacted concrete is similar to
traditional concrete, but is less expensive, requires less water and is much
thicker when placed. A roller-compacted concrete dam is as strong as a
conventional concrete dam and will remain operational even in the face of a
natural disaster, such as an earthquake. In addition, a roller-compacted
concrete dam can be built in one-third to one-half the time of a conventional
concrete dam.
Roller-compacted concrete is placed in layers. The layers are compacted with
rollers similar to those used in road building. Interruption of work must be
minimized to facilitate bonding of the layers. Therefore, crews will usually
work 24 hours a day, seven days a week during a 10- to 12-month period to
construct the dam.
Working with the Environment
A spectacular 750-acre open-space park and recreational area surrounds the dam
and reservoir. This reserve offers 17 miles of hiking, mountain biking,
equestrian trails and viewing points. The wildlife and natural resources on this
reserve are all closely monitored and will be preserved for generations to come.
The reservoir itself will cover 200 acres on the reserve and may be as deep as
300 feet. In addition, the face of the dam will be stained with a color that
blends into the natural surroundings of the area.
Links: The Olivenhain Dam
http://www.water-technology.net/projects/olivenhain/
http://www.water-technology.net/projects/olivenhain/specs.html