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.

In 1939, Southern California had secured additional water from the Colorado River Aqueduct.  With two major aqueducts supplying water to the region, The City of Los Angeles and surrounding areas had a growing need for containment and runoff systems within urban and suburban areas.  Between 1943 and 1976, Homer Halverson, civil engineer for the United States Army Corps of Engineers, photographed water infrastructure construction sites to monitor new and existing projects.  These photographs (many of which are annotated) capture the intricate networks of engineered channels and water management systems throughout Los Angeles and surrounding counties.