Contemplate the vastness of the Hollywood Reservoir. The Mulholland Dam holds it all in place. This impressive structure is more than just concrete and steel. It embodies the vision of William Mulholland. He was the man who shaped Los Angeles’ water system.
The Mulholland Dam sits in the Hollywood Hills. It is east of the Hollywood Freeway. Originally, they called it Weid Canyon Dam. Then it became Hollywood Dam. Finally, it was named after William Mulholland. He was the General Manager and Chief Engineer. He worked for the Bureau of Water Works and Supply. This bureau later became the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Mulholland designed and built the Los Angeles Aqueduct. He also created much of the city’s water system. This included many early earthen dams. The Mulholland Dam became the first curved concrete gravity dam. The Bureau of Water Works and Supply designed and built it.
Construction started in August 1923. The Mulholland Dam was completed in December 1924. It can store 7,900 acre-feet of water. That’s 9.7 million cubic meters. The water’s maximum depth is 183 feet. That’s 56 meters. The dam forms the Hollywood Reservoir. The reservoir gathers water from aqueducts. It also impounds the creek of Weid Canyon. Ivar Weid lived in the canyon after the Civil War. He sold some of the land in the 1880s. Ivar Avenue in Hollywood is also named after him.
The St. Francis Dam’s design was similar to the Mulholland Dam. In March 1928, the St. Francis Dam failed. The flood killed over 430 people in the Santa Clarita River Valley. William Mulholland quickly lowered the Hollywood Reservoir. This eased public fears of another disaster.
After the St. Francis Dam disaster, California updated its dam safety program. In 1929, the Department of Public Works gained authority. It could review non-federal dams over 25 feet high. Or dams holding more than 50 acre-feet of water. The state could also hire consultants. It had full authority to oversee dam maintenance and operation.
Engineers and geologists assessed the Mulholland Dam. They concluded that the dam needed more uplift relief. This could prevent destabilization. Another panel examined abandoning the dam. In the end, they decided to keep the Hollywood Reservoir. But they kept it permanently drawn down. It holds no more than 4,000 acre-feet. Today, it usually holds about 2,800 acre-feet. Workers added 330,000 cubic yards of earth to the dam’s downstream face. This bolstered its resistance to hydraulic uplift and earthquake forces. It also hid the dam from public view.
The Mulholland Dam has appeared in movies. It was in the 1974 film Earthquake. The dam collapses after a major earthquake. It also appears in Roman Polanski’s Chinatown.
The Mulholland Dam stands as a testament to engineering. It also reminds us of the importance of water in Los Angeles. It is a historic landmark. It shapes the landscape and the city’s story. Take a moment to appreciate this structure. It is a vital part of Los Angeles’ past and present.