Chevy Chase West Reservoir – Glendale CA

City:
Glendale, CA

Site Type:
Infrastructure and Utilities, Water Supply

New Deal Agencies:
Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)

Quality of Information:
Moderate

Marked:
No

Site Survival:
Extant

Description

Works Project Administration (WPA) project No. 7214, sponsored by the city of Glendale.

“This project provides for the construction of a reinforced concrete distributing reservoir of 5,000,000 gallon capacity with connecting pipe lines, and a roadway for maintenance and service. It will replace a series of wooden tanks, now serving this isolated district, which are not at the proper elevation to tie in with the rest of the reservoir system. This project also provides for the connecting of the new unit with the Park Manor reservoir, which will bring another isolated territory into the system. The availability of interconnected reservoirs will greatly improve water distribution and protection from disastrous fires, as the present reservoirs when out of service are replaced by direct pumping, a hazardous and expensive procedure.

The actual construction entails the excavating of 37,000 cubic yards of material which was placed in the embankments and mechanically compacted. These embankments are constructed on all sides of the reservoir and will provide a maximum depth of water of 30 feet. Eight inches of reinforced concrete will be used in lining the bottom and embankments of the reservoir. About 33,000 feet of sub drains will be placed under all slabs to prevent the forming of hydrostatic pressure caused by unforeseen leakage. The entire reservoir will be covered with composition roofing on 42,000 square feet of wood roof surface.

Apart from the reservoir, a 6′ – 6″ x 5′ – 6″ tunnel, 730 feet in length, has been constructed to connect with the Park Manor Reservoir. 2700 feet of 8″ and 16″ cast iron pipe and 2725 feet of concrete pipe, 12″ to 30″ in diameter, will be laid to make connections with existing lines. grading of the service road will require approximately 2000 cubic yards of excavation in its length of one and one-half miles.

The estimated cost of this project to the Federal Government will be $133,688.00 or about 72% of the entire cost of $190,578.00.”

400 men on average per month were employed for 5 months in the construction

Source notes

Connolly, Donald H. and G. I. Farman. Report of Accomplishment of the Operations Division. Works Progress Administration, Southern California. January 1, 1939.

Site originally submitted by Andrew Laverdiere on December 14, 2015.

Location Info


Glendale, CA 91206
Los Angeles County

Coordinates: 34.152725, -118.211726

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