The Panama Canal and The Panama Canal and The Los Angeles AqueductsThe Los Angeles Aqueducts

Hist 141Hist 141

Summer 2011Summer 2011

By: Le Thi My HoBy: Le Thi My Ho

Panama Canal – Largest Civil Panama Canal – Largest Civil Engineering Project in US HistoryEngineering Project in US History

For hundreds of years people dreamed of linking the For hundreds of years people dreamed of linking the Atlantic Atlantic and and Pacific OceansPacific Oceans by a shorter economical inter- by a shorter economical inter-oceanic routeoceanic routeThe design and built of Canals were products of the era’s The design and built of Canals were products of the era’s confidence in confidence in sciencescience and and engineering engineering as the key to as the key to progress, to promote commerce economically, and to progress, to promote commerce economically, and to unite unite nations nations With the 1849 discovery of gold in California and the With the 1849 discovery of gold in California and the booming of the western economy, the isthmus poured with booming of the western economy, the isthmus poured with fortune seekers looking for the fortune seekers looking for the fastest routefastest route to the gold to the gold fields and to the land of big opportunitiesfields and to the land of big opportunitiesHigh quality of American heavy machinery was critical to High quality of American heavy machinery was critical to U.S. success in Panama where Engineers easily adapted U.S. success in Panama where Engineers easily adapted drilling, digging, moving, unloading, spreading,drilling, digging, moving, unloading, spreading, and and grading grading equipmentequipment that had been originally developed for the that had been originally developed for the railroad industry railroad industry The Panama Canal requires more than 4,000 flatcars, 200 The Panama Canal requires more than 4,000 flatcars, 200 locomotives, and 100 steam shovels of heavy equipments locomotives, and 100 steam shovels of heavy equipments From the Atlantic Ocean the Panama Canal runs south for From the Atlantic Ocean the Panama Canal runs south for ten miles (17 km) and then eastward to the Pacific Oceanten miles (17 km) and then eastward to the Pacific Ocean

Panama Canal Creditors:Panama Canal Creditors:

President Theodore RooseveltPresident Theodore Roosevelt Encouraged Panamanian desire for independence Encouraged Panamanian desire for independence

from Colombiafrom Colombia Supported and Approved the Panama Canal ProjectSupported and Approved the Panama Canal Project

Ferdinand de Lesseps Ferdinand de Lesseps French mastermind behind the Suez Canal who French mastermind behind the Suez Canal who

brought the same idea for a canal across the brought the same idea for a canal across the Isthmus of PanamaIsthmus of Panama

Chief Engineer Chief Engineer John StevensJohn Stevens 1905 1905 The most experienced railroad builders in USThe most experienced railroad builders in US He saw that disease was brought under control and He saw that disease was brought under control and

was largely responsible for deciding to build a lock-was largely responsible for deciding to build a lock-type canal type canal

Build the infrastructure needed for the completion of Build the infrastructure needed for the completion of the canal the canal

Colonial Colonial George Washington GoethalsGeorge Washington Goethals Appointed Chairman and Chief Engineer of the Appointed Chairman and Chief Engineer of the

Isthmian Canal Commission in 1907Isthmian Canal Commission in 1907 Under his leadership, the Canal was completed six Under his leadership, the Canal was completed six

months ahead of schedule and $23 million below months ahead of schedule and $23 million below budgetbudget

Dr. Dr. William GorgasWilliam Gorgas American Tropical Disease Expert used their American Tropical Disease Expert used their

research and his own experience to rid the isthmus research and his own experience to rid the isthmus of yellow fever in 18 months and cut down malariaof yellow fever in 18 months and cut down malaria

Panama Canal Conflicts:Panama Canal Conflicts:Private French company stuggled with Private French company stuggled with finances, technology, finances, technology, and and diseasedisease before abandoning the work and selling its rights and before abandoning the work and selling its rights and equipment to the United Statesequipment to the United StatesEngineer Napoleon Garella believed that Engineer Napoleon Garella believed that yellow feveryellow fever did not exist did not exist on the isthmus and failed to predict the health hazards that would on the isthmus and failed to predict the health hazards that would claim thousands of claim thousands of workers’ livesworkers’ lives during construction of the canal during construction of the canalSelecting the canal route was primarily an engineering issue, but Selecting the canal route was primarily an engineering issue, but individuals outside of the profession determined its final siteindividuals outside of the profession determined its final siteSovereignty Sovereignty was a factor; at the time, Panama was part of was a factor; at the time, Panama was part of Colombia, which held legal jurisdiction over the French canal lease   Colombia, which held legal jurisdiction over the French canal lease   Tropical diseases like yellow fever and Tropical diseases like yellow fever and malaria malaria killed thousands of killed thousands of workers during the French years threatened to derail the American workers during the French years threatened to derail the American effort before it even got started effort before it even got started Injuries and deaths from Injuries and deaths from dynamite blasts, drowning, railroad dynamite blasts, drowning, railroad accidentsaccidents, and other trauma occurred throughout the entire project , and other trauma occurred throughout the entire project

Panama Canal Significant BenefitsPanama Canal Significant BenefitsBreak throughBreak through and and preventionprevention of yellow fever and other diseases of yellow fever and other diseases and prolong the progress of malariaand prolong the progress of malariaGenerous pay, free housing Generous pay, free housing andand medical care, medical care, andand subsidized food subsidized food prices helped ensure a highly motivated American work force with prices helped ensure a highly motivated American work force with an overwhelming sense of purpose an overwhelming sense of purpose Workers came from other parts of the world, with Spain, Greece, Workers came from other parts of the world, with Spain, Greece, Italy, and India supplying help in varying numbers Italy, and India supplying help in varying numbers A A presidential medalpresidential medal was given to every U.S. citizen who worked was given to every U.S. citizen who worked two years on the canal two years on the canal ““Every successful structure serves as a guide in the Every successful structure serves as a guide in the construction of all future similar works. Thus the experience of construction of all future similar works. Thus the experience of one may become the wisdom of many.”one may become the wisdom of many.” Symbol of human creativity, persistence, and achievement Symbol of human creativity, persistence, and achievement A key channel for iA key channel for international nternational maritime trade and access within the maritime trade and access within the Atlantic Atlantic and and Pacific OceansPacific Oceans

The Los Angeles AqueductThe Los Angeles AqueductWith Los Angeles growing at a rapid pace due With Los Angeles growing at a rapid pace due to the to the Progressive Era of Entertainment, Progressive Era of Entertainment, Technology, Science, Medicine, Agriculture Technology, Science, Medicine, Agriculture EconomyEconomy, not only the availability of water, , not only the availability of water, but also the quality of water became more but also the quality of water became more important in the 20th century important in the 20th century 11stst Aqueduct Aqueduct Completed Completed 19131913; 5yrs to Build; ; 5yrs to Build; Cost $23 Million; Length 223 Miles; Capacity Cost $23 Million; Length 223 Miles; Capacity 485 cfs485 cfs22ndnd Aqueduct Aqueduct Completed Completed 19701970; 5yrs to Build; ; 5yrs to Build; Cost $89 Million; Length 137 Miles; Capacity Cost $89 Million; Length 137 Miles; Capacity 290 cfs290 cfsWater SourceWater Source: Colorado River, Owens River, : Colorado River, Owens River, Haiwee Reservoir, Mono Lake's Seven Haiwee Reservoir, Mono Lake's Seven Tributary Streams: Lee Vining, Parker, Tributary Streams: Lee Vining, Parker, Walker, Rush Creeks, Crowley Lake and Walker, Rush Creeks, Crowley Lake and Grant Lake Grant Lake Workers from all over the world came to work Workers from all over the world came to work at at high-paying jobshigh-paying jobs that would last for that would last for several several years years

The Los Angeles Aqueduct The Los Angeles Aqueduct Significant People:Significant People:

President Theodore RooseveltPresident Theodore Roosevelt Supported a 1902 law to provide irrigation and hydroelectric Supported a 1902 law to provide irrigation and hydroelectric

development by building dams on some of the nation’s riversdevelopment by building dams on some of the nation’s rivers Decided that Los Angeles should have the rights to the Decided that Los Angeles should have the rights to the

Owens River water stating “…Owens River water stating “…yet it is a hundred or a yet it is a hundred or a thousand fold more important to the state and more valuable thousand fold more important to the state and more valuable to the people as a whole if used by the city than if used by the to the people as a whole if used by the city than if used by the people of the Owens Valleypeople of the Owens Valley” ”

William MulhollandWilliam Mulholland An Ireland Immigrant who started out as a ditch tender for the An Ireland Immigrant who started out as a ditch tender for the

Los Angeles City Water Company, later engineered and built Los Angeles City Water Company, later engineered and built the Los Angeles Aqueduct that allowed the city to grow into the Los Angeles Aqueduct that allowed the city to grow into one of the largest in the worldone of the largest in the world

First American Engineer to utilize hydraulic sluicing to build a First American Engineer to utilize hydraulic sluicing to build a dam; government engineers later adopted the method in dam; government engineers later adopted the method in building Gatun Dam in the Panama Canal Zone building Gatun Dam in the Panama Canal Zone

Dedicated the benefit of the Aqueduct to "Dedicated the benefit of the Aqueduct to "you and your you and your children and your children's children for all timechildren and your children's children for all time““

Fred EatonFred Eaton Convinced Mulholland that the Owens River could provide Convinced Mulholland that the Owens River could provide

Los Angeles with a reliable source of water Los Angeles with a reliable source of water Brought land and water rights for Los Angeles Brought land and water rights for Los Angeles City Engineer in 1886 City Engineer in 1886 Mayor of Los Angeles in 1898Mayor of Los Angeles in 1898

The Los Angeles Aqueduct Conflicts:The Los Angeles Aqueduct Conflicts: The challenge to supply water to Los Angeles continuedThe challenge to supply water to Los Angeles continued City had problems securing the City had problems securing the Owens Valley landOwens Valley land and and water rightswater rights Owens Valley residents began to fight the City's water export Owens Valley residents began to fight the City's water export Confrontations escalated to several Confrontations escalated to several dynamiting of the Aqueductdynamiting of the Aqueduct To secure its water rights, the City began to purchase extensive tracts of To secure its water rights, the City began to purchase extensive tracts of

land in the Owens Valley.land in the Owens Valley. Because the capacity of the Los Angeles Aqueduct was Because the capacity of the Los Angeles Aqueduct was limitedlimited, the City , the City

was unable to take its full entitlement from the Mono Basin was unable to take its full entitlement from the Mono Basin The completion of the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1970 and the The completion of the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1970 and the

City's plans to augment the Aqueduct flow with Owens Valley City's plans to augment the Aqueduct flow with Owens Valley groundwater prompted renewed groundwater prompted renewed local protestslocal protests

Inyo County Inyo County filed suitfiled suit against Los Angeles under the new California against Los Angeles under the new California Environmental Quality Act, seeking an Environmental Impact Report on Environmental Quality Act, seeking an Environmental Impact Report on new aqueduct new aqueduct

The Los Angeles Aqueduct Effects:The Los Angeles Aqueduct Effects: Since Mulholland realized his dream of the Los Since Mulholland realized his dream of the Los

Angeles Aqueduct, Angeles Aqueduct, millions have come to Los millions have come to Los AngelesAngeles

Water has made it possible for people to Water has made it possible for people to staystay, to , to flourishflourish, and to continue to dream of the greatness , and to continue to dream of the greatness of the futureof the future

Today the people of the Department of Water and Today the people of the Department of Water and Power continue to serve the City in Mulholland’s Power continue to serve the City in Mulholland’s tradition, meeting the challenges and always tradition, meeting the challenges and always searching for the searching for the best solutionsbest solutions to the problems of to the problems of supply, demand, supply, demand, andand quality quality

Los Angeles has become the nation's Los Angeles has become the nation's second second largest city largest city

Los Angeles built a Los Angeles built a filtration plantfiltration plant in 1986 and in 1986 and continues to monitor and improve water quality from continues to monitor and improve water quality from its three sources its three sources

Los Angeles began a program of metering all water Los Angeles began a program of metering all water uses to encourage uses to encourage water conservationwater conservation

Los Angeles a water conservation Los Angeles a water conservation leaderleader in the in the Nation.Nation.