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Oroville Dam |
The Oroville Dam is the tallest and one of the largest earthen dams in the United States. The dam, completed in 1968, stands 770 feet high with a crest (top of the dam) 6,920 feet long. Over 80 million cubic yards of material were needed to build Oroville Dam. This is enough material to build a two-lane highway around the Earth.
The dam's inner core is a layer of clay material which resists seepage. Gold dredger tailings (sand and gravel left from early gold dredging along the Feather River) make up the remainder of the Oroville Dam.
Beneath the dam, a giant cavern (almost as large as the State Capitol Building) was hollowed out to hold six power generation units. Coupled with four additional units in the Thermalito Power plant, more than 2.8 billion kilowatt-hours of power are generated annually.
Tours of the dam are offered by appointment.
| Location | Oroville California |
| Information | 530-534-2306 |
