San Francisco water . ceof water supply for the city. Considerableopposition developed and the project wasdropped. Thereafter the Company began theacquisition of the reservoir lands. In 1886 the first explorations were madeto determine the best location for a dam. Atvarious times thereafter these explorationswere continued until in 1906 plans andspecifications were prepared for the con-struction of a dam 150 feet high just belowthe site of the present structure. The earthquake and fire of April, 1906,necessitated the postponement of this work,and it was not until 1913 that the actualwork of bu
San Francisco water . ceof water supply for the city. Considerableopposition developed and the project wasdropped. Thereafter the Company began theacquisition of the reservoir lands. In 1886 the first explorations were madeto determine the best location for a dam. Atvarious times thereafter these explorationswere continued until in 1906 plans andspecifications were prepared for the con-struction of a dam 150 feet high just belowthe site of the present structure. The earthquake and fire of April, 1906,necessitated the postponement of this work,and it was not until 1913 that the actualwork of building the dam was commenced. In the meantime further explorations hadindicated that the best possible dam-site ofthe six that had been investigated was whatis known as the upper dam-site, and that thetype of dam best adapted to the location wasone constructed of earth. Following the com-mencement of construction in 1913, work hasbeen prosecuted continuously at varying ratesof speed until completion in December, Before Calaveras Reservoir existed. The huge SprValley. This picture was taken ; Valley dam now spans this outlet of beautiful Calaverasworkmen began clearing the valley floor January, 1925 SAN FRANCISCO WATER FROM a battlefield where Indian braves slaughtered one another in a greatand bloody conflict, to an artificial lake impounding billions of gallons ofwater for San Francisco—that is the history of the Calaveras Reservoir ofSpring Valley Water Company. A tradition older than California history has perpetuated the fact, but notthe details, of that Indian battle. When numerous human bones were found onthe old battlefield—grim relics of the ancient fight—the valley was namedCalaveras, or Skulls. As it stands today, the dam is 215 feet highabove bed-rock at the center, and contains2,700,000 cubic yards of fill. It will store32,780 million gallons. In other words, ithas just about double the storage capacityof all of the Peninsula reservoirs. When thereservo
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