The Firms and Men That Built the Colorado River Aqueduct
Maybe it’s because it’s been a part of our Southern California lives for so long, but most of us take all the hard-won blessings of fresh water in this arid, desert land for granted; and yet, it’s only been in operation for 80 years. Considering that people have lived in this parched land for 13,000 years – 433 generations – this is only a heartbeat. Before its completion, life was very different here. Water was often scarce, and people had to be very careful about how they used it. Unable to carelessly turn on a tap and leave the water drip, drip, dripping down the drain, they had to rely on local water sources, such as springs, rivers, and wells, sometimes transporting it for miles to wash, clean, cook, and drink it.
Farmers had to rely on rainfall to irrigate their crops, which made them vulnerable to droughts. As a result, farming in Southern California was less productive than it is today. Without the CRA, our population would be only a small fraction of what it is today. Our present way of life would be impossible.
It took vision, hard work, leadership, and some forward-thinking entrepreneurs in the construction industry to turn the desert to the land a land of lush, green golf courses, carefully manicured lawns, backyard swimming pools, and civic fountains. A handful of companies can be thanked for the lives that so many of us have enjoyed for these past two or three generations. This blog is a about the companies and a few of the men who made it possible.
Background
The Los Angeles Aqueduct predated the CRA by twenty years and was the first successful effort to bring water from the Owens Valley into Los Angeles. William Mulholland, an Irish American, self-taught civil engineer from Belfast, Ireland, and employed by the Los Angeles City Water
Company led this mammoth effort. The LA Aqueduct project was begun in 1905 and completed in 1913. It continues in operation today, still transporting water across 233 miles of difficult terrain. Its successful completion showed people what could be done, and before long, population pressures and the economic promise of our region had grown to a fever pitch
For the CRA to turn the desert green, it took a combination of industrial leadership and supportive government, plus the votes of the taxpayers. The parties behind the original push included the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Southern California Edison Company. A small army was assembled to campaign for public support. The groundswell began in the 1920’s and had four major facets.
- Media campaigns: Newspapers, radio, and magazines were drafted into service and published the many articles and editorials needed to create awareness and build public support for the aqueduct.
- Public meetings and rallies: Speakers from the Metropolitan Water District and other organizations spoke to civic groups and held rallies and activated public demand.
- Educational programs: The Metropolitan Water District produced educational materials about the aqueduct and its benefits. These materials were distributed to schools, businesses, and other organizations.
- Grassroots organizing: Volunteers from the Metropolitan Water District and other organizations went door-to-door and made phone calls to residents to generate support for the aqueduct.
“Water for a Growing Southern California” is an example of a campaign that MWD ran in 1928. Featuring newspaper ads, radio spots, and public meetings, the campaign emphasized the need for a reliable source of water to support the region’s growing population and economy. The Southern California Edison Company also ran a public awareness campaign in support of the aqueduct. With ads that emphasized the economic benefits of the aqueduct, So
Cal Edison argued that a completed CRA would create jobs and attract new businesses to the region.
Finally, in 1931, voters in Southern California approved a $220 million bond issue to finance the construction of the aqueduct. This bond issue was approved by a two-thirds majority, a testament to the strong public support for the project.
Major Players
The following table lists the construction companies who participated in this mammoth project.
* Factors included in estimating the percentage of CRA completed by each firm include:
- The number of construction workers employed by each company
- The sections of the aqueduct completed by each company
- The length and complexity of the sections of the aqueduct completed by each company
- The amount of time that each company was involved in the project
- The experience and expertise of each company
- The resources that each company had at its disposal
- The overall management of the project by MWD
Construction of the Hoover Dam was such a large project that it took a special joint venture called Six Companies, Inc. to complete it. The six companies included the same firms listed above, plus one more, Morrison-Knudsen Company. All in, the Six Companies, Inc. joint venture included:
- Morrison-Knudsen Company
- Utah Construction Company
- J.F. Shea Company, Inc.
- Macco Corporation
- W.A. Bechtel Company
In 1934, Parker Dam was also built by a joint-venture, Bechtel-McCone-Parsons Corporation. It included W.A. Bechtel Company, McCone Company, and Ralph M. Parsons Company. Once the dam was completed, the joint venture was dissolved.
Joint ventures were used elsewhere in dam construction during this era. For instance, in 1950 the Navajo Dam and Reservoir in New Mexico and Arizona was built by Shea-Kaiser-Macco.
A number of the companies who built the CRA, or the dams along its route, are still operating today. A short description of each company and some of the personalities involved follows:
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) was the owner of the aqueduct and was responsible for overseeing the construction project. MWD also hired its own contractors to build sections of the aqueduct, including:
- Coachella Canal
- Morongo Tunnel
- San Jacinto Tunnel
- Santa Ana Conduit
- Terminal Reservoir
MWD also hired its own contractors to build other sections of the aqueduct, such as the Hayfield Pumping Plant and the Eagle Mountain Siphons.
Factors behind MWD’s decision to build some sections themselves included:
- Cost: MWD believed that it could build some sections of the aqueduct more cheaply than by hiring contractors.
- Control: MWD wanted to have more control over the construction process and the quality of the work.
- Expertise: MWD had developed a great deal of expertise in water infrastructure construction during the early 1900s.
More than 80 years later, MWD continues to manage a major portion of our region’s total water supply.
At the time of the CRA’s construction, the MWD was under the direction of Frank E. Weymouth. Weymouth was the chief engineer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. A renowned engineer and a leading expert on water supply systems in his day, he was recognized as one of America’s foremost reclamation and hydraulic engineers. He oversaw construction of most of the great dams in the western U.S., including several in Idaho: Arrowrock Dam, American Falls Dam, Minidoka Dam, several in Wyoming including Jackson Lake Dam and Shoshone Dam. Hoover Dam in Nevada and Arizona was also built under his supervision.
Case Construction Company, Inc. was a subcontractor to Six Companies, Inc. Under the direction of MWD, Case Construction was also responsible for building other sections of the aqueduct, including the San Jacinto Tunnel and the Coachella Canal.
Founded in 1881 by John Francis Shea in Portland, Oregon, J.F. Shea Company actually started out in plumbing but soon expanded into other areas of construction, pipelines, and infrastructure projects. They are one of the six firms that formed the joint enterprise, Six Companies, Inc. to build Hoover Dam in the 1930s. One of the largest construction companies in the United States, they remain a highly successful, privately held firm and are headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. Their broad range of expertise includes bridges, hospitals, and office buildings.
Besides being founder and president of J.F. Shea Company, Inc., Shea was a successful businessman and a philanthropist. He was also a member of the California State Assembly.
Macco Corporation was founded in 1929 by Henry J. Kaiser and Morris Knudsen. Starting out as a marine construction company, they eventually expanded into other areas of construction, including heavy civil engineering and mining. Macco Corporation was one of the leading construction companies in the United States during the 20th century.
Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co. is a privately held construction company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. It was founded in 1884 and is one of the largest construction companies in the United States. Kiewit has worked on a wide range of projects, including highways, bridges, airports, dams, and power plants.
The firm’s founder, George W. Kiewit, was a successful businessman and a philanthropist. He was also a member of the Nebraska State Legislature and the United States House of Representatives. Here is a quote from Kiewit himself that gives some insight into his character: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Looking back on all he accomplished, I’d guess he had a pretty good time. Kiewit had a good sense of humor and a salesman’s ability to get along with people from all walks of life. He was a true gentleman and a role model for many.
George Kiewit was described by people who knew him as a great businessperson, leader, and philanthropist. A random sampling of memories about the man includes,
Peter Kiewit Jr., son of George Kiewit: “He was a man of great vision and leadership.” –
Warren A. Bechtel, founder of W.A. Bechtel Company: “He was a true pioneer in the construction industry.”
James F. Shea, founder of J.F. Shea Company, Inc.: “He was a man of his word, and you could always count on him.”
Harold M. Smith, former mayor of Omaha, Nebraska: “He was a generous philanthropist who gave back to his community in many ways.”
Kiewit was passionate about his work, and he believed in doing things the right way. He was a demanding boss, but he was also fair and supportive. He wanted his employees to succeed, and he was always willing to help them reach their full potential.
Utah Construction Company is a subsidiary of AECOM, a global infrastructure and consulting firm. Utah Construction Company was founded in 1911 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company has worked on a variety of projects, including dams, tunnels, and highways.
W.A. Bechtel Company is a privately held construction company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1898 and is one of the largest construction companies in the world. Bechtel has worked on a variety of projects, including dams, power plants, and transportation infrastructure.
Bechtel Company was founded by Warren Bechtel who was described by his contemporaries as a brilliant engineer, a visionary businessman, and a generous philanthropist (back in those days, when you amassed a big pile of personal wealth, the natural thing was to become a ‘philanthropist’. These days, it seems people just buy themselves more things they’ll miss after the divorce cleans out the cupboards!
Bechtel was also known for his strong work ethic, his dedication to his employees, and his commitment to quality. Notable people who knew him described him in the following ways:
- David Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard: “He was a visionary leader who could see the big picture and make it happen.”
- Former US President, Ronald Reagan: “He was the greatest builder of our time.”
- Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State: “He was a man of great integrity and character.” –
Besides being founder of Bechtel Company, Bechtel was also a member of the President’s Advisory Committee on Economic Affairs during World War II.
Griffith Company – Griffith Company actually started their history in 1902 as Fairchild-Gilmore-Wilton. Initially, they specialized as an engineering contractor working in paving, grading, underground, site development, and concrete work. In 1906, George P. Griffith joined the company as a director and vice president. He became president in 1920.
By 1922, the firm had incorporated in the State of California under its current name. The company’s early focus was paving the streets of greater Los Angeles and San Diego. By the time the CRA project came around, they had already expanded operations to include bridges, dams, and even airports. Griffith’s contributions to the CRA included building nearly 13 miles of the aqueduct (more than any other firm) and the construction of Cajalco Dam, in Riverside County which also formed Lake Matthews. This reservoir provided the CRA with additional water storage capacity of 225,000 acre-feet. Lake Matthews served as the headwaters of a massive water distribution system that carries water to a much of Southern California, including San Diego, Orange County, Pasadena, Culver City, Santa Ana, Hemet, Chula Vista, Hollywood, Santa Monica and Oxnard. Major construction features of Cajalco Dam features included an earth dam across Cajalco Creek, as well as an earth dike along the northern rim of the reservoir. Additional components included a diversion tunnel around the site of the dam, an outlet tower,
and an outlet tunnel leading to the headworks of the distribution system.
Over the past few decades, Griffith Company has continued to grow and expand its operations. Today, the company is one of the largest general engineering contractors in Southern California. It has worked on a wide range of projects, including airports, bridges, dams, highways, hospitals, schools, and sports stadiums.
Griffith Company is also known for its commitment to safety and sustainability. The company has won numerous awards for its safety performance, and is a leader in the use of environmentally sustainable building practices. Last year, Griffith Company celebrated its 100th anniversary. Caliagua is proud of the close working relationship we’ve had with Griffith Company for many years.
Caliagua has steadily been building a reputation for excellence in management, customer service, and the results of our work. We take pride in what we do, and we’re inspired by the great people and firms that pioneered our industry starting as far back as 1905. Like these businesses that came before us, we believe in the promise that Southern California continues to hold for the millions of people who live here, and for the businesses that support their families. We’re dedicated to continuing the work that started before us.
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During the course of our research for this blog, we came across several very interesting period films that bring more depth to the construction of the Colorado River Aqueduct.
We hope you’ll take some time to watch these short videos!
13 Cities: https://youtu.be/xgC9baGw3W4?si=IhlXZUtu0jDailbl
The Colorado River Aqueduct: https://youtu.be/LEfaw1CQzgI?si=iv_NDOoYfEXGbIxb