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Expansion
Resources:
LV Reservoir Expansion Studies
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The photos below -- with the exception of the time-lapse photos -- were taken after Oct. 14, 2011 when the Earlier photos from the start of the project up to Oct. 11 can be seen here. See our new large-format Time-Lapse photos from Oct -Dec. 2011 |
See our new large-format Time-Lapse from Oct. -December, 2011 |
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Surveyor Rich Reza, with F3 & Associates inc., takes measurements at the top of the expanded dam on May 2, 1012, measuring the slope of what will be the road. His equipment can measure accurately down to 1/100th of an inch. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Masonry workers complete one of the last major concrete pours on the top of the dam on May 12, 2012, this for the wall near the south side of the dam. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Aerial Photographer Dick Jones took this photo of the nearly-complete dam on April 29, 2012. Look closely on the dam face, and you can see patches of California poppies blooming. The reservoir is about half-filled at this time. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Aerial Photographer Dick Jones took this shot of the enlarged dam and Mt. Diablo in the distance on April 1, 2012. Above the dam, the large brown area is the "borrow area" where much of the material used in the expansion was mined. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| The dam is pretty much in its final shape in this photo from April 4, 2012. Most of the remaining work to be done includes details on the spillway (center of the photo) and on the top of the dam itself. In addition, there is quite a bit of electrical work that needs to be done. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| The Marina area is nearly ready for its reopening in midsummer in this photo from April 4, 2012. The large poles are part of the new docks for rental boats. The Marina building is nearly completed, and there is quite a bit of paving to do. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Workers hydroseed the face of the dam on March 22, 2012. The hydreoseed will speed the pace of growth of grasses and wildflowers on the dam's face, which will protect the dam. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Take a look at how high the reservoir will be when it's filled. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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Construction worked compact and smooth gravel behind a restraining wall on the right abutment of the dam in this photo taken on March 8, 2012. The gravel will eventually be topped with asphalt and this will become the road to the inlet-outlet structure. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Aerial Photographer Dick Jones took this photo of the enlarged dam looking toward Pleasanton on March, 3, 2012. The reservoir is storing 72,410 acre-feet of water at this time, 45 percent of its new capacity. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| The moved-Marina is taking shape in this photo taken by Aerial Photographer Dick Jones on March 3, 2012. Right in the middle of the photos is the enlarged "Rock Wall" with the new Marina complex to the right. The old Marina location is to the far right, where the boat garage is floating in the reservoir. The prominent black line around the construction site is the Animal Exclusion fencing, designed to keep animals out of the construction zone. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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Masonry workers rake gravel into place behind a wall at the top of the dam on Feb. 28, 2012. Concrete will be poured on top of the gravel, and the wood supports and the large concrete anchors (right) will be removed. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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Masonry workers finish a curb at the turnaround near the new Marina site on Feb. 28, 2012. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| We took this panorama of the project from the patio of the John Muir Interpretive Center on Feb 23, 2012. We pieced together 29 different photographs to give you an idea of how the project looks. Among the significant work going on at this time are the removing of a temporary access road on the face of the dam, pumping concrete into the stilling basin at the toe of the dam, and work on finishing the spillway. Click on the photo to see a much larger version of this unique panorama. |
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| CCWD's Peter Stabb took this shot of a massive 300-ton crane delivering hydraulic cylinders that are used to open and close gates at Los Vaqueros on Feb. 03, 2012.. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Peter Stabb also took this photo of the hydraulic cylinder being bolted into place on the inlet outlet structure on Feb. 3, 2011. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| A section of form for the retaining wall on the spillway is being lifted into place on Feb. 8, 2012. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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Aerial Photographer Dick Jones took this nice overview of the dam project on Jan. 27, 2012. Most of the construction activity now involves finishing the spillway (in the center), |
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| With the dam now at its final height, work is underway on restoring "borrow" areas where soil, rocks and clay were mined for the expansion project. In this photo taken on Jan. 30, 2012, the borrow area near the North entrance gate is given a fresh coat of hyrdoseed to promote grass and wildflower growth. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| The Marina building is beginning to look like its old self in its new higher location in this photo taken on Jan. 30, 2012. The walls of the Marina building have been restored, and work is continuing on developing the area around the Marina. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Workers install part of a wall on Jan. 17, 2012 on the top of the dam. The wall -- facing the reservoir side of the dam -- will extend to the top of the spillway. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Masonry workers on Jan. 17, 2012 add concrete to the support forms for the lower bridge across the spillway. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| The face of the dam is beginning to take its final shape as crews from Barnard Construction remove one of two temporary access roads from the face of the dam. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Masonry workers build the forms for a curb outside of the new Marina building. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Work is continuing on rebuilding the Marina building that was moved to higher ground. This is looking through the front door of the building. Most of the electrical wiring has been reinstalled, as has the insulation of the building. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| One would think the Los Vaqueros Reservoir is smiling in this aerial photo taken Jan 2, 2012 by Aerial Photographer Dick Jones. Actually, these are the wave alternators that will be used to protect the new boat docks from waves. They have yet to be moved into their final position. This photo is taken above the old Marina building location. The straight line heading into the water in the top left of the photo is the old walkway to the Marina boat docks. At this point, the reservoir is at about 42 percent of its new capacity of 160,000 acre-feet. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Work on spillway continues in this photo taken on Jan. 4, 2012, as this worker prepares one of the concrete forms for the finished area of the spillway structure. In the picture below, you can see this area in the upper middle portion of the photo, the area in black. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Aerial Photographer Dick Jones captured almost all of the work going on now on the dam in this one shot taken on Jan. 2, 2012. Most prominent is the "rip rap" on the reservoir side of the dam, and the spillway nearing completion in the upper-center of the photo. The dam has reached its final height of 521-feet. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Masonry workers pour and shape concrete on the top of the spillway. This 18-inch layer is located at the top of the spillway, and will be the final layer of the spillway project. This photo was taken on Dec. 22, 2011. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Masonry workers form some of the concrete ramps for the new ADA-accessible pier that will be located near the Marina. This photo was taken on Dec. 13, 2011. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| The dam at its 521-foot elevation. This photo was taken on Dec. 7, 2011. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| The dam is only a few inches from reaching its new elevation of 521 feet in this photo taken by aerial photographer Dick Jones on Dec. 4, 2011. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Welders trim rebar on the spillway area. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| A new wall at the top of the dam, where the public viewing area will be. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Aerial Photographer Dick Jones took this photo of the old and new Marina area on the south side of the reservoir on Dec. 4, 2011. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Trucks filled with soil and gravel line up for their turn to leave their loads on the top of the dam on Nov.22, 2011. The elevation is about 395 feet at this point, about 26 feet from the top. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| The first load of concrete is pumped onto this section of the spillway on Nov. 22, 2011 as masonry workers begin to mix and spread create a smooth finish. The concrete is 18 inches thick in this area. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| The Marina building is at its new location, though not settled onto its new foundation in this photo taken on Nov. 17, 2011. This new location is just about where the old Los Vaqueros Staging Area was, near the Rock Wall and the ADA Pier. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| The Marina building -- weighing an estimated 100 tons -- slowly moves around the last of two major corners on its way to its new location on Nov. 16, 2011. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| Montgomery Heavy Hauling and Structure Relocation employees attach cables to prepare for the move. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this picture. |
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| With the two major turns and most of the major hill behind them on Nov. 16, 2011, the employees from Montgomery stopped for the night and finished the approximately quarter-mile journey the next day in about two hours. |
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| The Marina building is lifted and on wheels in anticipation of its move up the hill to the new location. Greg Dixon took this photo on Nov. 8, 2011. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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| The "Rock Wall" is now at its final height, and its signature protective rocks are being placed by this large excavator on this photo taken on Nov. 8, 2011. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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| Construction crews put the final touches on the rebar, plumbing and conduit on the foundation for the Marina on this photo taken on Nov. 8, 2011. The large slab foundation will be poured in two layers. The bottom layer of concrete has already been poured, and the top layer will be poured on Thursday. When the Marina is moved, it's unlikely it will be immediately placed on the foundation. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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| Aerial Photographer Dick Jones caught a lot of action on the top of the dam on Monday, Oct. 31. 2011.The dam is now at an elevation a 470 feet and has 51 feet to go to reach its eventual height of 521 feet.. In the middle of the photo is the spillway, which can be seen on the photo below. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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| Masonry workers prepare forms and rebar for the spillway's stilling basin. This photo was taken on Nov. 2, 2011.Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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| The Marina building is braced for its move to a new and higher location in this photo taken on Nov. 2, 2011. The move is expected to take place before Thanksgiving. |
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| This aerial photo taken on Oct. 31, 2011 by Dick Jones shows the scope of work being done on the south side of the reservoir. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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Masonry crews work on the top of the inlet/outlet structure in this photo taken on Oct. 19, 2011. They're using a mixing device that's pushed into the soft concrete to ensure the consistency of the concrete that had just been pumped up to the site. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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| Our first photo from the Marina side of Los Vaqueros Reservoir, taken on Oct. 19, 2011. This is where the old Los Vaqueros Staging Area (start finish/line for the Wildflower Run) was located. The small white pickup truck in the middle is on the site of the soon-to-be-moved Marina. The graders in the middle are on the top of taller "Rock Wall", which has been raised about 24 feet, about 10 feet below its eventual height. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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The top of the dam was a busy place on Oct. 19, 2011. The height of the dam is moving up about a foot a day. The challenge for crews from Barnard Construction is to keep the different "slices" of soil in the dam separate. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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| Scrapers full of soil make their way from the borrow area downstream of the dam to the top of the dam. When this photo was taken on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011, eight of these huge machines were running at the same time. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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On Friday, Oct. 14, the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project reached a significant milestone when the "shave" off the top of the dam was stopped and the reshaping of the face of the dam met at the 440-foot elevation mark. From this point on, all of the work will be moving up. To the right is the new spillway structure. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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A drill works inside the spillway, drilling holes that will be used to anchor rebar for the finish layer of concrete. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
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A grader turns after making a pass on a slice of gravel at the 440-foot elevation level.
As the dam is built up, contractors will need to build up five different slices of material. Click on the photo to see a larger version of this photo. |
| Earlier photos from the start of the project up to Oct. 11 can be seen here. |
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