Water and Power Associates Informing the Public about Critical Water and Energy Issues facing Los Angeles and California

The monumental completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913 secured the City of Los Angeles as an oasis for opportunity.  Over decades, growing populations demanded more water development to support the ever-expanding metropolis.  However, water in this arid region came with great costs, determination, contestation and labor, which sharply contrasted with the vision of prosperity it provided.  This database offers unique and diverse perspectives into the history of the municipal water system in Los Angeles during the 20th century.

Andrae B. Nordskog was a political reformist for issues relating to public utilities, most importantly, California water development. In 1927, he became involved in the Los Angeles-Owens Valley water controversy and published articles and editorials which championed the Owens Valley’s cause. He was a staunch critic of the City of Los Angeles, the Department of Water and Power, and  prominent local businessmen for using Owens Valley water to cheat Californians out of millions of dollars in property deals. Nordskog’s research has significantly influenced the way historians have viewed the Owens Valley controversy. In 1930, Nordskog was elected President of the Los Angeles based Southwest Water League (SWL), an organization which studied water needs and resources of the southwest, making recommendations on aqueduct and reclamation projects.*