The Cascades
On November 5, 1913, 40,000 people gathered here to witness the dedication of the Los Angeles - Owens River Aqueduct. The terminus of a 233-mile long engineering marvel, the Cascades were the site of William Mulholland‘s famous speech: “There it is, take it!“ An extension completed in 1940 brings water 338 miles from the system’s northernmost intake near Tioga Pass. Since 1917, significant hydroelectric power has also been generated by the aqueduct system. The water supplied by this aqueduct transformed Los Angeles from a city of 300,000 to nearly 4 million and led to the growth of Southern California as a whole. Environmental challenges, mandates, and projects have resulted in modifications to aqueduct operations. Despite reductions in water deliveries, the aqueduct remains a critical part of the city’s present and future water supply and protecting the Owens river watershed will continue to be a major activity of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.