Water Supply Sites

A CWA project in March 1934 rebuilt an irrigation ditch to go around the Riverdale High School athletic field. $2,937.05 was the amount provided for the project as part of the employment of 262 men that month in Fresno County. When this researcher visited the site last month, it appeared to have be recently filled in, even though it is still listed on Google Maps.

Formerly known as Enfield Glen State Park, New York's Robert H. Treman State Park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) between 1933 and 1941. From 1933-1941, "...the men of Camp SP-6, Company 1265 were, according to the late local historian Neil Poppensiek, “trucked to work sites in Enfield Glen (later Robert H. Treman), Buttermilk Falls, and Taughannock Falls State Parks. There they excavated flagstone and did masonry work, blasted, excavated fill, graded, planted trees, shrubs and grass, built roads, bridges, and water systems, erected park buildings, and – after the disastrous floods of July 1935 and August 1937 –...

The PWA built sprinkler and sewer systems in the park in the 1930s. The WPA built a long rustic stone wall around the park.

“One of the CCC’s most important contributions was the well-engineered twenty-six-million-gallon capacity reservoir and dam in Rose Creek Meadow. The Rose Creek Reservoir was an incredible undertaking due to its location more than halfway up the mountainside. The labor-intensive water impoundment was largely constructed by manual labor and horse-drawn Fresno Scrapers. The long-term advantages of the Rose Creel Reservoir live on as the reservoir continues to provide a significant source of water to this day. Subsequent efforts focused on transporting additional water to the depot on the valley floor. CCC crews soon completed a 4.5-mile duplicate water-supply system (pipeline) and...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) installed a six-inch water main along Rowan Street in Middletown, New York.

The federal Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) furnished the cost of labor for the cleaning of the two reservoirs for the Town of Hatfield: the Mountain Street and Running Gutter Reservoirs. Town Report: "With the help of WPA funds, we have done some work at the reservoir this summer. The small reservoir can be cleaned in one day, with two men; while it took fifteen men there for two weeks."

The city of Tucson is flanked by two halves of the Saguaro National Park, which protects extensive areas of Sonoran Desert landscapes and the biodiverse communities of the Tucson Mountains and Rincon Mountains – two of the many "sky islands" of southern Arizona. The eastern district of Saguaro National Park was set aside as Saguaro National Monument by President Herbert Hoover in early 1933; today, it is known as the Saguaro NP - Rincon Mountain District (RMD).  The western district of the park was originally part of the Tucson Mountain Park, a county park created in 1929; the northern section of...

“$50,000 water supply project at Charlotte Amalie… for utilization of salt water… for sanitation and for fire-protection purposes… Water is pumped from the sea into a new concrete tank 250 feet above the town… two new power pumps with a capacity of 12,000 gallons an hour force it through a new network of pipes to homes for sewage and to hydrants for the fire protection purposes… to overcome the problem of rust corrosion by salt water in cast-iron pipes, PWA engineers put a concrete lining in 7,000 feet of water mains and 5,000 feet of sewers.”

Built 600 lineal feet of rubble sea wall enclosing a yacht basin, a harbor master's station; paved certain drives with natural rock asphalt. This improvement like Aquatic Park added to the picturesque shore line a useful recreational asset. The new harbor, front yard of the fine Marina homes contains several hundred yachts, launches and other pleasure craft. The drives and spacious grass plots of the Marina afford opportunity for the spectators to witness the boating and yachting engaged in by so many local sportsmen.--Healy, pp. 67-68.

The New Deal Civilian Conservation Corps camp was located just below San Pablo Reservoir. CCC laborers living at the camp did work to support water infrastructure improvements for the East San Francisco Bay area. In addition to dam-building, workers at the San Pablo Dam camp planted trees and built fire roads for the new San Pablo check dam and reservoir area. The San Pablo Dam camp was also one of the CCC's African-American camps. In the agency's early years, federal work crews were intentionally integrated communities, with stipulations that each unit enroll African-Americans at a rate proportional to their representation in the...

There are 12 small rock check dams built along Mistletoe Creek at the eastern end of the reservoir. According to current EBMUD staff, the dams were all built during the 1930s by the CCC. Most seem to be operating as intended. They are not currently accessible to the public.

This CCC built observation point is located along the southern side of the reservoir, about half-way down, and just opposite the outfall tower (the only such structure on the lake). The point includes a rock wall and stairway that was originally intended as a stopping place for motorists to get good views of the lake. It was built in March of 1935 and is now on land that is publicly accessible. The toilet and other CCC structures are no longer functioning, however there is an effort underway to get the CCC sites on the lake officially recognized by EBMUD, as well...

A sanitary sewer construction project in Stuart, Nebraska was undertaken with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. PWA Docket No. 4914

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) undertook a work project at Sapulpa Reservoir ca. 1935-6. The lake was originally constructed in 1907.

On July 9, 1941, the Department of Parks announced the completion of what is now the Eugene Sarsfield Playground in Brooklyn. The press release announcing the park's opening reported: "To provide a flat play surface it was necessary to construct a concrete retaining wall of variable height along the north property line with a short stairway access provided from Avenue "M". An 8' chain link boundary fence has been placed on top of this wall and along the entire property line. A second entrance leads from Flatlands Avenue near the corner of Ryder Street. Seventeen 2½-3" diameter Norway maples have been planted...

"Scenic State Park CCC/Rustic Style historic resources are located in two historic districts that include a public use area and service yard. The park contains ten contributing buildings and structures built among stands of virgin Norway and white pine on the shores of Coon and Sandwick Lakes. Architects for the park buildings were from the National Park Service... Scenic State Park was the first in the state to provide a complete range of recreational facilities developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The park’s Rustic Style buildings represent a remarkable collection of log structures that received considerable acclaim from the National Park...

At least one school construction project in Barstow, Texas was undertaken in 1938-9 with Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) funds. The P.W.A. provided a $47,029 grant for the project, whose total cost was $104,610. Barstow no longer operates any schools, but a school constructed as a result of this project still stands. It is located on the north side of Rio Grande St. just west of Fay Ave. P.W.A. Docket No. TX 2280

Casper-Alcova Project, Wyoming - The Casper-Alcova Project is being developed initially to irrigate 35,000 acres of land in the vicinity of Casper Wyoming. The more important features are the Seminoe Dam and power plant, the Alcova Dam and the canal system. The revenues from the power plant are expected to repay a large portion of the cost of the project. the Seminoe Dam is of the concrete arch type, with a volume of about 161,000 cubic yards and a maximum height of 161 feet. The storage capacity of the reservoir will be 1,000,000 acre feet. The Alcova Dam on the...

The New York Times reported in 1937: "Tourists have begun to visit the memorial in Sequoyah County, Okla., built by WPA under the sponsorship of the Oklahoma Historical Society ... The stone building erected by WPA encloses the log cabin in which Sequoyah lived 100 years ago, and a new road laid by WPA makes the memorial accessible to motorists." The cornerstone for the project was laid on June 12, 1936. The WPA also constructed a stone wall and the base to a water tower at the site.

Up until 1933, the sewer system of Hampton Beach was simply a system built by the Hampton Beach Improvement Company which piped raw sewage directly into the ocean. Under threat from state health officials due to "deplorable conditions" that would have resulted in quarantine and shut down of the beach, "the federal government awarded a $160,000 funding package to the town in September. Some $40,000 of the grant was a gift; the balance was to be paid back with a bond issue." After some noisy opposition from local officials that defeated a proposal and threats from the state, "the...

Shasta Dam is the keystone of the Central Valley Project, a complex of several dams, reservoirs and canals across Northern California.  It is a high-arch concrete dam over 600 feet high and almost 3,500 feet wide at the top, situated in the former Iron Canyon. At the time it was built, it was the second largest dam in the world, after Grand Coulee on the Columbia River (another New Deal project), and it is still the 8th highest in the United States.  It impounds the largest reservoir in California, with a capacity of 4.5 million acre-feet. Shasta Dam had been originally conceived...

“After more than twenty-five years of operation…many of the early water-control and –conveyance structures had fallen into a state of disrepair, and existing storage had proven inadequate. In Lahontan Valley, the CCC built or completed new water conservation projects including the Sheckler Reservoir and the S-Canal Dam and regulating reservoir to store more water. They also renovated and enlarged portions of the thirty-two-mile-long Truckee Canal, built several earth- and rock-filled dikes to increase reservoir capacity, and lined the Lahontan Dam Spillways with rock riprap to protect its banks.” --The Civilian Conservation Corps in Nevada

"Shelbina boasts a beautiful city lake, built in 1936 as a WPA project, to serve as the city's water reservoir. A second WPA project begun in 1941, added picnic tables, landscaping, shelter houses, and a 9 hole golf course. The lake area is beautifully maintained by the city. This beauty enhanced by mature trees and grassy rolling hills, makes camping, picnicking, fishing, or just visiting the lake area, a very pleasant experience for both young and old." -City of Shelbina

The Lake of the Pines (now known as Sheridan Lake) on Spring Creek was constructed as a joint project by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1938 to 1940.  It was the largest earth dam built by the CCC or WPA in South Dakota. "...some of the most significant structures built by the CCC were the dams that created recreational lakes in the Black Hills. Most of these dams were either 'earth fill with core trench' or 'earth fill on bentonite base.' Occasionally, concrete dams were constructed. Earth fill on bentonite dams created Lakes Mitchell, Major, Dalton, Roubaix,...

The WPA and the Department of Parks together developed an extensive park and parkway area (sometimes known as Shore Road Park and sometimes as Shore Park) along the shore adjacent to the Belt Parkway. The area eventually developed extended from Owl's Head Park south to Fort Hamilton, and included multiple playgrounds and athletic fields. In August 1941, Parks announced the completion of the first section of the Shore Road Park development stretching from Bay Ridge Ave. to 72nd St. The WPA's work included: "remov a considerable quantity of old paving, benches and drinking fountains. The new promenade along the west side...

Location Notes:  Extensive sidewalks were constructed in Norman, OK by the WPA with stamps remaining.  The pictured stamp was close to another similar stamp and concrete saw marks around it indicate the city’s intention to save the stamp when redoing the sidewalk.

The following water mains were laid as part of a Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project: "Forest Hills street, Glen road, Sigourney street and Walnut avenue ..."

The PWA constructed "water department storage tank and pumps at Soldiers' home."

The South Mountain Reservoir was one of two giant reservoirs constructed during the mid-1930s as a New Deal project sponsored by the Public Works Administration (PWA). The reservoir is presently covered and part of a municipal park. The Morning Call: "This project, which is rapidly approaching completion, is making possible the construction of extensive water works improvements — which will assure the residents of Allentown a plentiful supply of good water. This large Public Words Administration project provided for the construction of two masonry distribution reservoirs having a combined capacity of approximately 35,000,000 gallons along with necessary extensions to the distribution...

South Park and the nearby Cazenovia Park in Buffalo were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the late 19th century. The caption to the Works Progress Administration (WPA) photo pictured here lists this water tank as one of five water tanks built by the Public Works Administration (PWA) in South Park during the Great Depression. It notes that while the PWA built the water tank structure, the WPA laid the foundations for the steel work "...and put in water lines." More information is needed to determine the present status and exact location of this water tank.

Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) labor constructed a water main along South St. in Rockport, Mass.

NOTE: none of the sources cited actually mentions the WPA... From the 1840s-1870s, the city of Springfield constructed and utilized an aqueduct system to bring in water from sources to the west of the city. Multiple collection sites, including Ludlow Reservoir, Borden Brook Reservoir, and Cobble Mountain Reservoir, were built prior to 1931 to hydrate the city. The West Parrish Filters project was constructed from 1939-1940 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from an expense of $500,000. The project was designed to improve water supply, water quality, and flood control system for local communities and surrounding areas. The project provided work for...

The WPA built the St. Helena Dam in the 1930s.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) carried out general improvements around the city of Arcata, California, during the late 1930s and early 1940s.  Three separate projects were approved in 1937 and 1939 for street work, new water lines and new sewers. The only location specified in the WPA project cards is a sewer line at 11th and B Streets, which probably runs alongside Gannon Slough.  Locations of the others WPA works are unknown to us and further confirmation of these improvements is needed. Evidence for these New Deal works comes from WPA project cards in the National Archives.  These projects were proposed more...

New Deal reservoir in Kensington, just north of Berkeley.

"Carlsbad Project, New Mexico - The Alamorgordo Dam is being constructed on the Pecos River to supply additional storage for the Carlsbad Project. It is an earth and rock fill type of dam with a maximum height of 135 feet and a volume of 1,700,000 cubic yards. The storage capacity of the reservoir will be 115,000 acre feet. Construction of the dam was started in May 1936 and the river was diverted through the completed outlet outlet tunnel in November. The dam is to be completed by January 1938. Wilfred W. Baker is engineer." "Sumner Dam and Lake lie 250 miles...

"When Franklin D. Roosevelt took presidential office in 1933, the Great Depression was in its fourth year. He was elected partly because he promised relief for the common man. He enacted the New Deal programs and the Works Progress Administration, which was later called Works Project Administration. The program put unemployed men to work in all areas of the county to build strength and self-respect in the working class. The projects, both in the process of putting people to work and in the resulting buildings, greatly impacted the suffering nation and especially the Southwest, which was also in a severe...

" Tacoma Water Supply Program for 1937 The Water Division of the City of Tacoma has plans completed for a construction program during 1937 amounting to $1,566,000. An application for a $705,000 PWA grant on this project has already been made. This program includes: construction of a 160x244 foot reinforced concrete building for stores and shops; reconstruction and metering of 21,160 flat-rate water services; construction of a Tide Flat trunk main extension consisting of 10,800 feet of 36 inch steel pipe, 1200 feet of 28 inch steel pipe, and 3625 feet of 24 inch steel pipe, with all appurtenant equipment; and...

"Camps Newlands and Carson River worked primarily in the Fallon and Fenley areas. While Camp Carson River concentrated on improving the spillway at Lahontan Dam, Camp Newlands took on downstream canals and ditches. Camp Newlands also provided the labor force for the Walker River Irrigation system in Smith Valley. At Topaz Lake, the CCC constructed the levee along the east bank of the intake canal, adding an additional twenty thousand acre-feet of water storage. Camps Newlands and Reno also maintained a summer camp at Boca Dam where enrollees worked on the Truckee Storage Project – a Nevada and California joint...

The New Deal worked on irrigation projects in Tracy, CA. The photo below shows a concrete conduit in the West side irrigation district.