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| Frank E. Brown Dam | |
|---|---|
| Name | Frank E. Brown Dam |
| Caption | Frank E. Brown Dam |
| Location | Contra Costa County, California |
| Status | Active |
| Operator | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Dam type | Earthen |
| Dam height | 86 ft |
| Dam length | 1,100 ft |
| Reservoir | Los Vaqueros Reservoir |
| Reservoir capacity | 16000 acre-feet |
| Construction begin | 1960s |
| Opening | 1966 |
Frank E. Brown Dam is a mid-20th century earthen embankment impoundment located in Contra Costa County, California, managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in partnership with regional water agencies. The facility forms the Los Vaqueros Reservoir and functions within the Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project interties, contributing to regional water supply, flood control, and habitat management. It is situated near the cities of Brentwood, California and Oakley, California and lies within the watershed that drains to the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and ultimately the San Francisco Bay.
The dam’s genesis traces to mid-20th century water planning involving the Contra Costa Water District, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, and federal agencies such as the Bureau of Reclamation and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Stakeholders including the State of California and regional utilities negotiated alignments influenced by precedents like the Oroville Dam project and regulatory frameworks stemming from the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Environmental review processes engaged institutions such as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and advocacy groups like the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society. Construction and operational agreements referenced policy debates exemplified by the California Water Wars and litigation involving the Natural Resources Defense Council and Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
Frank E. Brown Dam is characterized as an earthen embankment similar in profile to projects overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and modeled in engineering texts produced by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The structure’s design incorporates features common to dams like Shasta Dam and Folsom Dam, including a zoned fill, a clay core, and filter and drainage systems influenced by studies from US Geological Survey engineers. Appurtenant works include spillways and outlet works conceptually related to mechanisms used at Camanche Reservoir and New Melones Dam. Seismic considerations referenced analyses by the California Geological Survey and standards promoted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program.
Construction phases involved contractors and firms with portfolios including work on the Transcontinental Railroad-era corridors and 20th-century civil projects; procurement followed state procurement norms and federal contracting practices overseen by the Department of the Interior. Equipment and materials were supplied by companies that also worked on projects such as Hoover Dam renovations and Golden Gate Bridge maintenance. Operational control integrates telemetry systems similar to those used by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and pumping facilities that coordinate with the Contra Costa Water District and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Water conveyance connects to facilities like the California Aqueduct and pumping stations used in the Delta-Mendota Canal network.
The reservoir created by the dam, Los Vaqueros Reservoir, influences hydrology in the Los Vaqueros Creek watershed and interacts with the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River flow regimes through intertie operations. Surface area, storage curves, and inflow-outflow dynamics are modeled with approaches used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and US Geological Survey hydrologists. Reservoir operations factor in allocations made under the Central Valley Project Improvement Act and water quality standards articulated by the State Water Resources Control Board and the Environmental Protection Agency (United States). Seasonal patterns echo regional climatology studied by the National Weather Service and paleohydrology reconstructions citing Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley research.
Environmental assessments referenced criteria from the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act, and mitigation measures were developed in consultation with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and conservation organizations including the Nature Conservancy. Impacts on native species prompted programs addressing habitat for species comparable to restoration efforts for the Delta smelt and Central Valley steelhead; riparian restoration drew on practices used along the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and the Cosumnes River Preserve. Water quality initiatives followed precedents set by remediation projects at Clear Lake (California) and invasive species management strategies akin to those used for Quagga mussel control.
The reservoir and surrounding lands provide recreational amenities managed with input from the East Bay Regional Park District and local recreation commissions in Contra Costa County. Facilities and programming reference models from parks around Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park in terms of trail design, visitor services, and interpretive signage. Boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing are regulated under licensing frameworks administered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and local ordinances enforced by the County of Contra Costa. Public outreach and education have involved partnerships with organizations like the California Academy of Sciences and regional universities including the University of California, Davis.
Safety protocols and maintenance regimes adhere to standards promulgated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and inspection cycles coordinated with the California Division of Safety of Dams and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Past upgrade projects drew on engineering practices and contractors experienced with retrofits at Shasta Dam and seismic upgrades similar to those recommended by Pacific Gas and Electric Company consultants after regional seismic events. Emergency action planning incorporates coordination with first responders including the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and regional law enforcement such as the California Highway Patrol. Recent modernization efforts have included telemetry, remote sensing, and structural monitoring technologies employed by institutions like NASA and research groups at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Category:Dams in California Category:Contra Costa County, California