Mokelumne Aqueduct
The Mokelumne Aqueduct is a 95-mile (153 km) water conveyance system in central California, United States. The aqueduct is supplied by the Mokelumne River and provides water to 35 municipalities in the East Bay in the San Francisco Bay Area. The aqueduct and the associated dams, pipelines, treatment plants and hydroelectric system are owned and operated by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and provide over 90 percent of the water used by the agency.
Mokelumne Aqueduct | |
|---|---|
Location of the Mokelumne Aqueduct in California | |
| Coordinates | 37°54′N 121°30′W |
| Begins | Pardee Reservoir, Amador/Calaveras Counties |
| Ends | near Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County |
| Maintained by | East Bay Municipal Utility District |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 95 mi (153 km) |
| First section diameter | 61 in (1.5 m) |
| Second section diameter | 67 in (1.7 m) |
| Third section diameter | 87 in (2.2 m) |
| Capacity | 700 cu ft/s (20 m3/s) |
| History | |
| Construction start | 1926 |
| Opened | 1929 (Aqueduct No. 1) 1949 (No. 2) 1963 (No. 3) |
| Location | |
The aqueduct is the sole water supply for about 1.4 million people in the East Bay. Under present water rights agreements, EBMUD can withdraw up to 325 million gallons (1,230,000 m3) per day, or 364,000 acre-feet (0.449 km3) per year, from the Mokelumne River. In addition, up to 98 million gallons (371,000 m3) per day or 110,000 acre-feet (0.14 km3) per year can be supplied via a branch from the Sacramento River. However, this supply is expected only to be used in the driest 35% of years.