Imperial Dam, far view
Description
Imperial Dam was built by the Bureau of Reclamation during the New Deal as a feature of the Boulder Canyon Project, along with Hoover Dam and Parker Dam, on the lower Colorado River. It lies 17 miles above Yuma, Arizona. It is the diversion structure for the All-American Canal, which serves the Imperial Valley and Coachella Valley in Southern California and for the Gila Project in Arizona.
The dam is 3500 feet along the crest and 41 feet high at overflow point. The All American Canal headworks has a maximum diversion capacity of 15,000 cfs. The length of the All American canal – so-named because it did not go through Mexico – is 81 miles. The main water contractor is the Imperial Irrigation District in Imperial County, CA, which takes the largest percentage of Colorado River water of any user on the river system.
“The recently completed Imperial Dam and desilting works, a unit of the All-American Canal project, is approximately 250 miles downstream from the Boulder Dam on the Colorado River. The primary purpose for the dam is the diversion of approximately three-fourths of the water released from the Boulder Dam into the new All-American Canal. At the head of the canal are a series of massive concrete gate towers, between which are the steel roller gates illustrated on this page.
The roller gates are mechanically operated from the towers to permit the passage of water which is not to be diverted into the canal, so that it may be used for irrigation purposes downstream in the vicinity of Yuma, Arizona. The operating towers are connected by an overhead bridge extending the length of the dam.
The All-American Canal is 200 feet wide with a water depth of 21 feet. It will be used to convey water a distance of 100 miles to irrigate approximately 1,000,000 acres of land in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys. At some points the channel cut will be 100 feet deep. Several power drops are being installed on the canal as there is a difference of level between the head and the Imperial Valley of 450 feet.
The estimate of cost of the project is 35,000,000 of which $10,000,000 was allotted by the W.P.A. The Imperial Dam and desilting works were designed in the Denver office of the Bureau of Reclamation and were completed in July 1938.”
(Short and Brown)
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam.”
Roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam.
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. View of tapering influent channel.”
View of tapering influent channel
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. View of tapering influent channel."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam.”
Roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. The inverted syphon where ‘All American Canal’ crosses New River – west of Calexico.”
The inverted syphon where All American Canal crosses New River
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. The inverted syphon where 'All American Canal' crosses New River - west of Calexico."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles.”
IMPERIAL DIVERSION DAM
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Showing the intake of New River Syphon, All American Canal, Imperial Valley.”
intake of New River Syphon
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Showing the intake of New River Syphon, All American Canal, Imperial Valley."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Close-up of the inverted syphon where ‘All American Canal’ crosses New River west of Calexico.”
Close-up of the inverted syphon
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Close-up of the inverted syphon where 'All American Canal' crosses New River west of Calexico."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam.”
Roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Showing a portion of the overflow section.”
a portion of the overflow section
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Showing a portion of the overflow section."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles.”
Imperial Diversion Dam
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. View of the All American Canal going through the ‘Sand Hills’ of Imperial Valley.”
All American Canal going through the 'Sand Hills'
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. View of the All American Canal going through the 'Sand Hills' of Imperial Valley."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. View of desilting basins with Dorr clarifiers for removing accumulated silt.”
desilting basins with Dorr clarifiers
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. View of desilting basins with Dorr clarifiers for removing accumulated silt."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. General view of Imperial Dam.”
Imperial Dam
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. General view of Imperial Dam."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Showing the ‘Drop’ and ‘Turnout’ at the Coachella Branch along the All American Canal in Imperial Valley, California.”
'Drop' and 'Turnout' at the Coachella Branch
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Showing the 'Drop' and 'Turnout' at the Coachella Branch along the All American Canal in Imperial Valley, California."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Hydro Electric Plant at ‘Drop’ 3 and 4 along the All American Canal. This plant is one of four units being constructed to provide cheap power in the irrigation districts of the Imperial Valley.”
IMPERIAL DIVERSION DAM HYDRO ELECTRIC PLANT
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Hydro Electric Plant at 'Drop' 3 and 4 along the All American Canal. This plant is one of four units being constructed to provide cheap power in the irrigation districts of the Imperial Valley."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Hydro Electric Plant at ‘Drop’ 3 and 4 along the All American Canal. This plant is one of four units being constructed to provide cheap power in the irrigation districts of the Imperial Valley.”
IMPERIAL DIVERSION DAM HYDRO ELECTRIC PLANT
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Hydro Electric Plant at 'Drop' 3 and 4 along the All American Canal. This plant is one of four units being constructed to provide cheap power in the irrigation districts of the Imperial Valley."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. View of desilting basins with Dorr clarifiers for removing accumulated silt.”
desilting basins with Dorr clarifiers
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. View of desilting basins with Dorr clarifiers for removing accumulated silt."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Hydro Electric Plant at ‘Drop’ 3 and 4 along the All American Canal. This plant is one of four units being constructed to provide cheap power in the irrigation districts of the Imperial Valley.”
IMPERIAL DIVERSION DAM HYDRO ELECTRIC PLANT
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Hydro Electric Plant at 'Drop' 3 and 4 along the All American Canal. This plant is one of four units being constructed to provide cheap power in the irrigation districts of the Imperial Valley."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. View of roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam.”
roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. View of roller gates of the Imperial Diversion Dam."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. Section of All American Canal which crosses State Highway 98, near Calexico.”
Section of All American Canal
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. Section of All American Canal which crosses State Highway 98, near Calexico."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. View of desilting basins with Dorr clarifiers for removing accumulated silt.”
desilting basins
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. View of desilting basins with Dorr clarifiers for removing accumulated silt."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. This plant is one of four units being constructed to provide cheap power in the irrigation districts of the Imperial Valley.”
IMPERIAL DIVERSION DAM HYDRO ELECTRIC PLANT
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. This plant is one of four units being constructed to provide cheap power in the irrigation districts of the Imperial Valley."
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Imperial Dam Roller Gates
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Imperial Diversion Dam, Overflow Section
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Coachella Branch, All American Canal
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Imperial Diversion Dam
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Imperial Diversion Dam Hydro Electric Plant
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All American Canal
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All American Canal Inverted Syphon
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All American Canal Inverted Syphon Close-up
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Imperial Diversion Dam Verso
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. View of the Central Main Canal west of Calexico and Mount Signal in background.”
Central Main Canal
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. View of the Central Main Canal west of Calexico and Mount Signal in background."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. View of the Wisteria Irrigation Canal west of Calexico.”
Wisteria Irrigation Canal
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. View of the Wisteria Irrigation Canal west of Calexico."
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PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Irrigation ditch near Kane Springs in Imperial Valley.”
Irrigation ditch near Kane Springs
PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Irrigation ditch near Kane Springs in Imperial Valley."
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“PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet – length of canal 81 miles. View of the Wisteria Irrigation Canal west of Calexico.”
Wisteria Irrigation Canal
"PWA funds expended under the supervision of the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. Imperial Diversion Dam built by Bureau of Reclamation, length 3500 feet, height 41 feet at overflow section. All American Canal Headworks maximum diversion 15,000 second feet - length of canal 81 miles. View of the Wisteria Irrigation Canal west of Calexico."
Project Details
| Federal Cost | Local Cost | Total Cost | Project #'s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35000000 |
Source notes
Short, C. W. and R. Stanley-Brown (1939) Public Buildings: Architecture Under the Public Works Administration, 1933 to 1939. United States Government Printing Office: Washington, DC.
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