Eastern Sierra Nevada
Power Plant Construction
California Electric Power Corporation
Nevada Power, Milling, & Mining Co.
Southern Sierras Power Company

All photos and text are from The Huntington Digital Library unless otherwise noted

See USE NOTICE on Home Page.

Power House Locations

Bishop Creek - Power House No. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Jordan Powerhouse
(Map courtesy of U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Lundy (Mill Creek) and Poole Powerhouses
(Map courtesy of U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Rush Creek Powerhouse
(Map courtesy of U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Bishop Creek - Powerhouse No. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
and Big Pine Creek
(Map courtesy of U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Owens River Gorge Powerhouses and Pleasant Valley
(Map courtesy of U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Cottonwood Powerhouse
(Map courtesy of U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Haiwee Powerhouse
(Map courtesy of U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Jordan Powerhouse
Mill Creek

View of the Jordan Power House Plant and the areas it supplied power to.

Jordan Power House Disaster
by Cecil Page Vargo

Jack Wagon writes: A relative on mine, Paul Greenleaf, a junior operator at Jordan, was out reading meters and missed the avalanche that destroyed this site. He was up at the Lucky Boy mine at the time. He stated in an interview that it has snowed continuously from Feb. 20 until Mar. 8 (1911). Then at midnight on the 9th he reported the power went out to areas supplied by Jordan. He started snowshowing from Bodie the next day at 4 a.m. but the storm was too great and he got lost and returned to Bodie. He garnered the help of a champion Swedish cross country skier to re-attempt to make it to Jordan. They finally made to the site that day but were unable to affect rescues. Local ranchers began digging on the 11th. Attempts were made to rescue survivors and it is reported that the snow was between 14 and 20 feet deep on the site. Only Mrs. Mason and her dog survived. She was taken to Conway Ranch, then on to San Francisco for recovery. Information from a book titled "Iron Men and Copper Wire," a Centennial History of So Cal Edison. December 2021

Avalanche on Copper Mountain (Jordan PH)
by Roger Mitchell

The Jordan Tragedy
by Barbara Moore

Jordan Powerhouse survey team after the avalanche heading out to the plant site.

All that remains of the Jordan Powerhouse complex after the avalanche

Jordan Powerhouse after avalanche

Jordan Powerhouse after avalanche


Digging out the remains of the Jordan Powerhouse after the avalanche

Joy Hunter ready to gather wild horses, wild burros or cattle.

Jordan Powerhouse after avalanche

Jordan Powerhouse after avalanche

Bodie - 1912 - being supplied electricity by the Jordan Powerhouse

Looking down the steel pipe towards the powerhouse - halfway up the hill
near Copper Mountain

Arrival of the rotar a the powerhouse in 1910.

Powerhouse grounds - Jordan (Mill Creek) Plant

No. 1 Unit - Jordan (Mill Creek) Plant 1

Rear view of the powerhouse

Jordan (Mill Creek) Powerhouse - 1910

Jordan (Mill Creek) Powerhouse - 1910

Wood pipe after a snow storm - looking up Mill Creek Canyon

Steel pipe line - Mill Creek Plant

Entering a section of 30" steel pipe

Wood pipe in deep cut - lower end Mill Creek Plant

Powe36" wood gate on wood pipe

Laying 48" wood pipe on forest reserve

Yarding out the pipe

The donkey pulling itself up the hill.
This was used to pull steel pipe up the hill.

Tee and three sections of stand pipe

Head ends

Engine (donkey) used to pull steel pipe up the hill.

Lundy Powerhouse
Mill Creek

Lundy (Mill Creek) Plant
Water from Lundy Lake Reservoir is supplied to the plant through
11,840' of wood stave pipeline and 3,105' of steel pressure line of from
36" to 48" in diameter.
The generating equipment consists of two horizontal impulse water wheels,
direct-connected to two alternating current generators having a
combined capacity of 3,300 Kv-a.
Power from the Mill Creek Plant is transmitted to Leevining Creek Plant #3,
where connection is made to the balance of the System. This plant also
supplies power to the Mineral County power system of Nevada.

Lundy Lake Powerhouse

Mill Creek garage and lightning arrestor

Mill Creek Powerhouse

Interior of the Lundy powerhouse showing the automatic governor and the gate valves.

Lundy Lake Powerhouse interior showing two 1500 KW generators

Operators's cottages - Lundy Plant

Valve in the Lundy Powerhouse

Outdoor switching station at the Lundy Plant - Terminus of Bishop-Lundy Line

Control Station
Bowie Switch controlling the Lundy-Bishop line in the foreground.

Control Station

Control Station

Lundy Lake Dam construction - showing the concrete core wall
and the rock fill on the lower side.

Excavating the core wall at Lundy Lake Dam

Forms for the core wall on the Lundy Lake Dam

Lundy Spillway Gate

Lundy Lake Dam showing part of the downstream side of the core wall and back fill.

Lundy Lake Dam showing part of the upstream side of the core wall and back fill.

Lundy Dam construction

Lundy Dam construction

Lundy Dam construction

Lundy Dam construction

Spillway Pipe - Lundy Dam

Lundy Lake looking towards the dam

Wood stave flow line to the Lundy plant

Covered wood stave flow line to the Lundy plant

Terminus of the wood stave pipe and the head of the steel pressure pipe, showing
the pipe laid in the ground on an angle.

Steel pressure pipe leading to the Lundy Powerhouse before covering.

Steel pipeline being layed towards the Lundy Powerhouse

Leevining Creek Camp

Leevining Creek Camp

Leevining Creek Camp

Benton Station tractor shed.

Warehouse in Benton along the SPNG where supplies were stored.

Poole Powerhouse
Leevining Creek, Tioga Lake, Rhinedollar Lake, Saddlebags Lake

Poole Powerhouse
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Poole Powerhouise in the winter

Poole Powerhouse

Poole Powerhouse - Leevining Creek
Water from Saddlebags, Tioga and Rhinedollar Reservoirs reach the Plant from
Rhinedollar Lake Intake through 2,453' of steel flowline, 1,856' of which is laid
throuigh a tunnel and 3,740' of steel pressure line equipped with air relief valves
and concrete cushions.

Poole Plant interior
The generating equipment consists of one 14,000 horsepower, 360 RPM, impulse
water wheel, direct-connected to one 12,500 Kv-a., 360 RPM, 6,600 volt alternating
current generator, with exciter mounted on the same shaft.
The operating room, including storage battery room and storeroom, is
separated from the main power house floor by a partition.

Poole Plant interior
The direct-connected water wheel, and 12,500 Kv-a, 6,600 volt alternating generator.

Poole Plant interior

Tioga Reservoir - July 1927
Situated at an elevation of 9,643', this reservoir has a storage capacity of 661 acre feet
and production value of 835,000 kilowatt-hours. The Natural lake was raised by a 5'
earth-filled, timber-faced dam and a 9' cut made for drainage.

Transformers at Powerhouse No. 1 - Poole

Poole cottage (L) and Powerhouse (R)

Poole Plant cottage

Leevining Creek powerhouse #3 warehouse and headquarters

Leevining Creek powerhouse #3 cottage

Leevining Creek powerhouse #3

Leevining Creek powerhouse #3 grounds

Leevining Creek powerhouse #3

Rhinedollar construction camp

Tioga Dam construction - 1928

Tioga Dam construction - 1928

Saddlebags Reservoir - July 1927
This reservoir has a capacity of 11,138 acre feet, and is the main storage reservoir of the Leevining Creek Hydro-Electric Development of the Nevada-California Power Company.
The water impounded here has a production value of 14,073,000 kilowatt-hours when released and used through the Poole Plant and Leevining Creek Plant #3.

Leevining Creek - Plant #3
Water from Leevining Creek No. 3 intake below the Poole Plant is supplied to the
Plant #3 through 3,362' of Redwood stave pipe and 1,961' of steel pressure
line of from 42" to 48" in diameter.
The generating equipment consists of one single runner, double discharge
horizontal turbine of 3,500 horsepower direct-connected to a 2,500 Kv-a
alternating current generator.
Power generated at Leevining Creek Plant #3 is delivered to the transmission
line from the Poole Plant to the Rush Creek Plant which is looped into the
Leevining Creek #3 substation to facilitate switching and operation.

Rhinedollar Reservoir - 1927
Situated below Saddlebags and Tioga Reservoirs, Rhinedollar Lake Reservoir has a storage capacity of 745 acre feet and a production value of 942,000 kilowatt-hours.
Located at the brink of Leevining Creek Falls, Rhinedollar is the intake reservoir for the Poole Power Plant and Leevining Creek Power Plant #3.

Road to Rhinedollar Lake (L)

Road to the Poole Powerhouse

Saddlebags Dam - Leevining Creek
This is a rock-filled, timber-faced structure with a concrete up-stream cut-off wall.
It was completed in 1925

Leevining Creek / Canyon below the Poole Plant

The First Lady Hydro-Operator
by Eunice Yongue

Poole Powerhouise in the winter of 1924

Loading up pipe at Benton for the Poole powerhouse.

Workers at Mono Lake - 1923

Mr. & Mrs Webb near Mono Lake - 1923

Navigating the road to Poole in the winter.

Workers on the Mono Lake road to Poole - 1924

Saddlebags camp - repair shop and compressor shed

Saddlebags camp - storage shed

Laying steel pipe for the Poole Powerhouse

Poole Power Plant under construction

Poole Power Plant under construction

Poole Power Plant under construction

Steel pipe for the Poole Power Plant

Poole Power Plant under construction

Laying steel pipe for the Poole Power Plant

Laying steel pipe for the Poole Power Plant

Poole Power Plant under construction

Poole Power Plant under construction

Poole Power Plant transformers

Hauling cement and a transformer for the Poole Power Plant

The road to Benton, CA - Benton is one mile off in the distance

The road to Benton, CA

The road to Benton, CA

The road to Benton, CA

The road to Benton, CA - to the Poole and Rush Creek Power Plants

The road to Benton, CA

The road to Benton, CA

The road to Benton, CA

Hauling freight fromBenton, CA to the Poole and Rush Creek Powerhouses

Benton, CA - 1922-25

Benton, CA

Benton, CA - 1922-25

Rainbow Camp - Mono Lake off in the distance

Tractor and transformer hauling sled at Rainbow Camp

Rainbow Camp - Mono Lake

Workers taking a break during construction of the Poole Power Plant

Rush Creek Powerhouse
Silver Lake, Agnew Lake, Gem Lake, Grant Lake

Water from Rush Meadows, Gem and Agnew Reservoirs is supplied through 4,296' of
steel pipe line from Gem Lake to Agnew Junction, from which point two steel pressure
lines, 4,261' and 4,280', respectively, deliver water to the powerhouse.
The generating equipment consists of two horizontal impulse water wheels with
combined capacity of 16,000 horsepower connected to two alternating current
generators with a combined capacity of 11,250 Kv-a.
Power tnerated at the Rush Creek Plant is transmitted to a Control Station 54 miles.

Rush Creek Power Plant

Rush Creek Power Plant

Silver Lake transformers

Generator after burn-up

Generator after burn-up

Generator after burn-up

Top to Bottom: Rush Meadows Lake, Gem Lake, Agnew Lake

Rush Creek Powerhouse complex near Silver Lake

Rush Meadows Dam - Rush Creek
This is a single arch type reinforced concrete structure with a straight overflow gravity
section and reinforced concrete abutment at junction of arch and spillway.
The dam was completed in 1925.

Gem Lake Dam

Rush Meadows Dam - Rush Creek

Rush Meadows Dam - Rush Creek

Agnew Dam and Reservoir - July 1927
The dam consists of 4 arches of 40' span each and 2 of smaller span supported
by heavy concrete abutments.
This dam has a production value of 697,000 kilowatt-hours when released and
used through the Rush Creek Power Plant.
Tram 2 to Gem Lake and the Gem Dam can be seen in the upper right.

Gem Lake Reservoir - Rush Creek
This is the main storage reservoir for the Rush Creek Power Plant.
It has a storage capacity of 18,424 acre feet and a production value of 18,424,000
kilowatt-hours.

Gem Lake Dam
Water spilled from this dam is impounded by Agnew Dam.

Grant Lake Dam
This is a timber-faced, rock-filled structure impounding water for use on the Cain Ranch

Grant Lake Reservoir
Situated below the Rush Creek Hydro-Electric Plant, this reservoir has a present
capacity of 10,111 acre feet. The water impounded here is used for irrigation
of the Cain Ranch.

Grant Lake Camp

Company cars at Grant Lake Camp

Grant Lake Camp

Grant Lake Dam construction

Grant Lake Dam construction

Grant Lake Dam construction

Grant Lake Dam construction

Transporting rock to the Grant Lake Dam

Loading rock to the Grant Lake Dam

Using hoist to load rock for the Grant Lake Dam construction

Loading rock to the Grant Lake Dam

Unloading rock at the Grant Lake Dam

Grant Lake Dam under construction

Grant Lake Dam under construction

Hauling steel pipe to the Rush Creek Powerhouse in the winter

Typical angle sheave on Tram 1

Clearing the tracks on Tram 1 after a severe snow storm

Tram 1 showing the styles of angle sheaves, spools and rollers
and the rope threaded on them

Tram 1 showing the styles of angle sheaves, spools and rollers
and the rope threaded on them

Tram car loaded with cement

Tramway #1 coming from the Silver Lake area

Tram 2 - 1715 lineal feet of inclined trestle from Agnew Lake to Gem Lake

Tram 2 running from Agnew Lake to Gem Lake

Lumber being transported up Tramway #2. The lumber was chained down to the
body of the car and the chain was pulled tight by the use of a ratchet jack.

The top of the Agnew Lake tram

Station #14 on the tram

The tram at Aspen Flat

Gasoline driven double hoist used during construction of Tramway #2

Tramway #2 showing a rock car.
The all steel aggregate car being hauled up Tramway #2 weighed 3000 lbs and had a
capacity of 4 cubic yards of rock. An average of four trips an hoiur were made under
maximum operating conditions .

Hauling equipment from the SPNG station at Benton to Rush Creek PH

Hauling equipment from the SPNG station at Benton to Rush Creek PH

30" valve on its way from the SPNG depot in Benton to Rush Creek PH

Water wheel on its way from the SPNG depot in Benton to Rush Creek PH

Steel pipe storage yard at Benton for Rush Creek PH

Transformer being hauled to the Rush Creek powerhouse at Silver Lake

Rush Creek Powerhouse construction

Rush Creek Powerhouse construction - 11-11-15

A 7.5 ton 48" gate valve

Starting up the Rush Creek Tram with 3.5 tons of cement.

Grant Lake tent bunkhouse

Rounding a dangerous curve in the tram.

Greek rock crew waiting for dinner

Unloading pipe off of the tram

Stopping for a break on the way to Silver Lake

Heading to Silver Lake via snow shoes and sled

On the road to Silver Lake

Heading up to Silver Lake

Tractor hauling materials at Silver Lake

Winter traffic on the way to Silver Lake

Agnew Dam construction

Agnew Lake portage

Agnew Lake tram

Agnew Lake hoist

Concrete plant and trestle on Gem Lake dam construction

Gem Lake dam construction camp

Gem Lake Dam construction

Gem Lake Dam construction

Gem Lake Dam construction

Gem Lake Dam construction

Gem Lake dam construction

Gem Lake dam construction

cabelway car in the dumping position at the crushing plant

Gem Lake dam site

Cableway between the rock pit and the crushing plant

Cableway car

Crushing plant bunkers

Cableway car over lake

Rock crushing plant

Rush Creek Power Plant
Interior of powerhouse generator room showing generator units at
foreground right, governors and control valves
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Rush Creek Power Plant
Powerhouse interior showing exciter No. 1. Small Pelton-Doble impulse
wheel in foreground
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Rush Creek Power Plant
Powerhouse interior showing exciter No. 1. Hand-controlled gate valve shown on nozzle to Pelton_Doble impulse wheel
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Rush Creek Power Plant
Powerhouse interior showing exciter No. 1 in foreground,
Exciter No. 2, and generator units behind
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Rush Creek Power Plant
Powerhouse interior, detail of Exciter No. 2
General Electric generator showing copper commutator and carbon brushes
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Rush Creek Power Plant
Powerhouse interior showing Exciter No. 2 small Pelton_Doble
impulse wheel, hand-controlled gate valve, and nozzle.
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Rush Creek Power Plant
Powerhouse interior showing Exciter No. 2 with Exciter No. 1 behind
overhead crane dangles at top of photo
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Rush Creek Power Plant
East side/North end Exterior of Rush Creek Powerhouse
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Rush Creek Power Plant
East side exterior of powerhouse building showing tailrace
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Rush Creek Power Plant
Powerhouse interior, Exciter No. 2 showing General Electric induction motor in series between Pelton-Doble impulse wheel and General Electric generator
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Stereogram of Sierra Nevada storm approaching the Rush Creek area
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Dwelling on the way to the Rush Creek Power Plant

Owens Gorge Powerhouses
Owens River

Adams Main Plant
This is a stream flow plant, to which water is supplied through 659' of Redwood
flume and 3,214' of steel pressure pipe, varing in diameter from 7' to 6'.
Power generated at the Adams Main Plant together with that received from
the Adams Auxiliary Plant is transmitted to Control Station over a branch line
connecting with the Northern Division Tie Line.
The outdoor substation located at the Adams Main Plant includes a steel bus
structure,lightning arrester and high voltage switching equipment in
addition to the bank of 3,500 Kv-a transformers.

Adams Plant interior
The hydraulic installation consists of one 7,500 horsepower, 400 RMP reaction turbine complete
with oil pressure governor equipped with electric remote speed control, load limit
attachment, electric solenoid automatic closing trip, governor actuated balanced piston
type relief valve, flywheeel, and miscellaneous equipment.
The electrical installatiion consists of one 6,250 Kv-a., 6,600 volt alternating current
generator direct-connected to the turbine and with the exciter mounted on the same shaft
as the generator. All of the 6,600 volt busses together with the various oil circuit
breakers and disconnecting switches, potential and current transformers, as well as the
local transformers for power and light are mounted on the mezzanine floor above the
operating room.

Interior Owens River Plant

7.5' diameter pipeline at the Owens River Plants

Adams Auxiliary Plant

Owens River Adams Plant dwellings

Adams Main Plant Cottages - Owens River Gorge

Adams Auxiliary Plant
This is a stream flow plant, water being supplied from the Intake through 370' of flume, 455'
of Redwood stave pipe and 664' of steel pressure pipe. The flume is 12' wide and 5' deep.
The wood stave pipe is 6' in diameter and the steel pipe is 5.5' in diameter.
The generating equipment installed in the powerhouse consists of a 3,750 horsepower reaction turbine direct-connected to a 3,000 Kv-a alternating current generator.
Power generated at this Plant is transmitted to the Adams Main Plant, located downstream and supplemented with the power generated at the Adams Main Plant is stepped up to
transmission voltage through a bank of transformers located at the Adams Main Plant.

This building houses the main telephone exchange and operating headquarters
of the Interstate Telegraph Company and the office of the Local Superintendent
of The Southern Sierras Power Company.

Owens River Gorge dwelling

Owens River Gorge dwelling

Owens River Gorge - Adams Auxilary - Dwellings and tent house

Owens River Gorge - Adams Auxilary - Garage, Dwelling, Tent House

Owens River Main plant dwelling

General view Owens River Gorge

Intake cottage Owens River Gorge

7.5' diameter pipe for Owens River power plants

7.5' diameter pipe for Owens River power plants

Abelour Ranch house - Hillside Water Company

This is the residence of the Ranch Manager and the headquarters of our ranch operations in Inyo and Mono Counties.

Abelour Ranch ranch dwelling

Abelour Ranch ranch dwelling

Abelour Ranch ranch hog shed

Abelour Ranch ranch stables

Abelour Ranch ranch repair shop

Abelour Ranch ranch bunk house

Abelour Ranch ranch repair grain silos

Abelour Ranch ranch corn crib

Cain Ranch - Cain Irrigation Company
Beef cattle on summer range on the Cain Ranch. Over 1000 head of cattle are in the
herd shown in this photograph. The ranch is irrigated with water impounded at
Grant Lake Reservoir, below the Rush Creek Power Plant.

Cain Ranch clubhouse and ranch headquarters

Cain Ranch private garage

Cain Ranch storage building

Cain Ranch sawmill

Cain Ranch implement shed

Red Hill Ranch dwelling

Red Hill Ranch Granery

Red Hill Ranch dwelling

Turner Ranch Granery

Turner Ranch Dwelling

South Hillside Ranch Dwelling

Warehouse at the SPNG depot at Laws, CA

Warehouse at the SPNG depot at Laws, CA

SPNG gantry at Benton, CA

Bishop, CA office

Bishop, CA office interior

Big Pine, CA office

Big Pine, CA office

Independence telephone exchange

Bishop Switch House

Big Pine automitic telephone exchange

Independence office

Lone Pine telegraph office

Storage warehouse in Lone Pine

Warehouse on the SP at Lone Pine, CA

Warehouse on the SP at Lone Pine, CA

Bishop Creek warehouse

Warehouse at Benton, CA

Wifes supporting their husbands in one of the construction camps

Packard Bi-Plane
The owner and pilot was D. E. McDaneld of Pasadena who was a Packard dealer and early Pacific Coast pilot. The other owner of NC298 Curtiss JN-6H was Boyd Monteith Shelton. In 1927 they had a firm based out of Arcadia that did Fairchild Aerial Mapping surveys. Shelton was primary pilot. (Hal Eaton)

McDaneld & Shelton also took aerial shots and ferried materials for motion pictures. Boyd also was a pilot in Al Wilson's stunt crew in "The Cloud Riders" in 1925. (Hal Eaton)

Boyd Monteith Shelton

Packard Bi-Plane

Transporting Equipment & Materials to Powerhouses

Plant equipment arriving by rail on the SPNG at Laws

Hauling a piece of equipment to one Bishop Creek Plants by wagon

Plant equipment arriving by rail on the SPNG at Laws

Hauling sections of steel pipe by mule team

Accident at a bridge crossing.

Hauling generator section up Bishop Creek

Hauling sections of steel pipe by mule team up Bishop Creek

Crashed wagon between plants #3 and #4

24 mule team hauling / pushing power house equipment up a Bishop Creek steep incline

16 horse team hauling a transformer

Transporting cement by truck

Transporting a generator by truck

Hauling a load of hay for the livestock

Transporting a transformer by tractor

Transporting 55' long power poles for transmission lines.

Transporting 55' long power poles for transmission lines.

Transporting 55' long power poles for transmission lines.

Hauling steel pipe to the powerhouses

On the road between Laws and Benton

Southern Sierras Power Company truck

Transporting a 7.5 ton transformer to one of the powerhouses

One of six caterpillar engines hauling freight 56 miles from Benton to Silver Lake

Fleet of trucks ready for work

Trucker on his way to Mono Lake with a load of cement and steel pipe

Lingo Brothers Mountain & Desert flatbed truck with a load of cement

Trucker on his way to Mono Lake with a load of cement and steel pipe

Loading up with a truckload of cement

Duplex truck with a tractor loaded on the back

Two packers with their strings of mules near Mono Lake

Transformer sled and trucks

Truck with a load of lumber

Group of men working on a makeshift road

Men working on intake dam

Construction workers taking a break

Duplex truck with a load of cement

Workers taking a break from picking up wooden planks

Truck on it's way from Benton with a load of steel pipe and cement

Truck hauling transmission line towers

Truck hauling transmission line towers

Filming the silent movie "The Golden Princess" on Bishop Creek
during construction of the Bishop Creek Powerhouses

Filming the silent movie "The Golden Princess" on Bishop Creek
during construction of the Bishop Creek Powerhouses

Cabin used in the movie The Golden Princess

Stagecoach used in the movie The Golden Princess

The Golden Princess
(Photo courtesy of eBay)

The Golden Princess
(Photo Internet Movie Database)

Bishop Creek Powerhouse No. 1
The Powerhouse that Never was Built

Equalizing Reservoir showing proposed location of Plant No. 1

Equalizing Reservoir - proposed Plant 1

Equalizing Reservoir - proposed Plant 1

South Lake Dam construction - September 1910

South Lake Dam construction - September 1910

South Lake Dam construction - September 1910

South Lake Dam construction, putting in a new valve - September 1910

South Lake Dam Intake 5

South Lake Dam construction - September 1910

Bishop Creek Powerhouse No. 2
Lake Sabrina

Bishop Creek Plant #2
Water from Hillside and No 1 Reservoirs flows down the natural stream bed to
Intake No.2, a balancing reservoir for operation of the Bishop Creek Plants.
From Intake No. 2, the water is supplied to Bishop Creek Plant #2 through 10,035'
of Redwood stave pipe and 2,646' of 48" steel pressure pipe.
Five power plants harnessed in tandem, utilize consecutively the waters of Bishop Creek
throughconnecting pipe lines and generate an aggregate of 43,520 horsepower,
developed under a combined head of 3,555'. The water is then returned,
undiminished, to the stream bed at the mouth of the canyon for irrigation.

Interior Powerhouse #1 (Plant 2)

Bishop Creek Plant #2 - Powerhouse

Bishop Creek Plant #2 - Transformer House

General View Bishop Creek Plant #2

Interior Powerhouse #1 (Plant 2)

Interior Plant #2

Bishop Creek Plant #2 from the Terrace

Interior Plant #2 showing two of the 2000 K.W. Generators

Interiorview of the transformer house at Plant 2.
Showing part of the 7,000 K.W. step-up transformers.

Bishop Creek Plant #2

On the road to the Bishop Creek Plants

Bishop Creek Plant #2

Bishop Creek Mess Hall and Bunk House

Bishop Creek Intake for Plant 3

Bishop Creek Plant #2 and Intake for Plant 3

Lake Sabrina Dam

Lake Sabrina

Hauling cement

Cooks camp near Lake Sabrina

Lake Sabrina Dam
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Lake Sabrina Dam
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Lake Sabrina Dam
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Lake Sabrina Dam
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Lake Sabrina Dam
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Lake Sabrina Dam construction

Hillside Water Company - Lake Sabrina Reservoir/Dam - 1910

Hillside Water Company - Lake Sabrina Reservoir/Dam - 1910

Hillside Water Company - Lake Sabrina Reservoir/Dam - 1910

Hillside Water Company - Lake Sabrina Reservoir/Dam - 1910

Driving up to the Bishop Creek plants

Dam construction at Bishop Creek Plant 2

The road to Bishop - U.S. 395

Lake Sabrina Dam construction

Lake Sabrina Dam construction - 1907

Lake Sabrina Dam construction - 1907

Regulating dam on the middle fork of Bishop Creek - 1906-07

Lake Sabrina Dam construction

Lake Sabrina Dam construction

Looking at the pressure pipe line at Powerhouse #1

Looking down the company's street at Powerhouse #1

Snow-Cat in operation at South Lake

Snow-Cat Loaded for transportation to the snow area.

Snow-Cat in normal operation.

Snow-Cat Plowing a drift of snow fluffy snow.

Negoating a 45 degree incline and proceeding 100 feet on a 45 degree slope -
Road to Reservoir #1. Going to make emergency repairs after a tree fell on to a
line cutting off power and communications.

Taking an emergency "flamo" to South Lake when winter supply to keep the manometer
tube from freezing was found to have leaked away.

Making up load at Plant 2 for Weather Tower Installation at South Lake.
Approximately 1 ton load. Installation was made in one day.

Leonard Baxter's car on U.S. 395 just north of the McGee Creek
Maintenance Station - January, 1952

Cottages at Bishop Creek Plant #2

Bishop Creek Powerhouse No. 3

Bishop Creek Plant #3
From the forebay at the tail-race of Plant #2, water is supplied to Plant #3
through 13,029' of Redwood stave pipe and 4,361' of steel pressure
line. The pipe lines vary in diameter from 5' to 4' at the powerhouse.

This picture shows operators' cottages at the left and at the lower
right the forebay and intake for Plant #4.

Bishop Creek Plant #3

Bishop Creek Plant #3 under construction

Bishop Creek Plant #3 under construction

Powerhouse Bishop Creek Plant #3

Powerhouse Bishop Creek Plant #3

Powerhouse Bishop Creek Plant #3 - October 1913

Worker beside steel pipe for Bishop Creek Plant #3

Interior of Bishop Creek Plant #3
The generating equipment consists of three 4,000 horsepower, 300 RPM, impulse water
wheelsdirect-connected to three 2,800 Kv-a, 300 RPM, 2,200 volt alternating current generators.The switchboard equipment consists of five panels complete with oil circuit breaker, instruments, rheostats, etc. The control panel for the local light and power
circuits is of the safety panel type so that no live parts are accessible from the front of
the panel. The panel in the right foreground of the photograph is the control panel for
the motor-generator exciter set.

Interior of Bishop Creek Plant #3 showing three - 2250 K.W. Generators

View of the steel transmission line from Plant 3 to the Control Station on Bishop Creek.

Switchboard at Plant #3

Interior of Bishop Creek Plant #3

G.E. flowmeter attached to #3 machine - Bishop Creek Plant #3

Intake for Plant 4

Intake for Plant 4

Bishop Creek Plant Intake for Plant 4

Plant 3 Powerhouse
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Bishop Creek Plant #3 outdoor transformer sub-station
Showing three - 2000 K.W. step-up transformers

 

Bishop Creek Plant #3 Intake

Aerial view Plant 3 Powerhouse complex
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Dwelling Bishop Creek Plant #3

Bachelor's Quarters - Bishop Creek Plant #3

Bishop Creek Powerhouse No. 4

Bishop Creek Plant #4 interior
The generating equipment at Plant #4 consists of five water wheel-driven alternating
current generators having a combined capacity of 12,000 horsepower in water wheels
and 6,750 Kv-a, in generators.
Units 1 and 2 consist of 1,700 horsepower impulse water wheels direct-connected
to 750 Kv-1, alternating current generators. Unit 3 consists of a 3,000 horsepower
impulse water wheel direct-connected to a 1,750 Kv-a, alternating current
generator. Units 4 and 5 consist of a 2,850 horsepower impulse water wheels
direct-connected to 1,750 Kv-a, alternating current generators. Each unit is provided
with an oil pressure governor equipped for remote control quick shutdown, the
water being thrown off the water wheel by means of stream benders, deflectors,
or auxiliary nozzles. The auxiliary equipment includes three water wheel-driven
direct current exciters, two of which are also privided with induction motors.
The switchboard installation consists of a ten panel switchboard complete with
generator bus, oil circuit breakers, rheostats and instruments.

General view Bishop Creek Plant #4 and #5 Intake Dam

Bishop Creek Plant #4

Bishop Creek Plant #4 grounds

General view Bishop Creek Plant #4 and #5 Intake Dam

Bishop Creek Plant #4 under construction

Bishop Creek Plant #4 under construction

Powerhouse - Bishop Creek Plant #4

Bishop Creek Plant #4 grounds

Steel stave flow line

Stand pipe erection

Stand pipe erection

Joining wood stave pipe to steel stave pipe at stand pipe erection

Steel pipe junction

Joining wood stave pipe to steel stave pipe at stand pipe erection

Bishop Creek Plant #4 in the winter

General view in the winter of Bishop Creek Plant #4 and #5 Intake Dam

Bishop Creek Plant #4

Bishop Creek Plant #4

Bishop Creek Plant #4

Bishop Creek Plant #4

Bishop Creek Plant #4 canyon area

Bishop Creek Plant #4 construction

Bishop Creek Plant #4 area

Colins & Young teamsters hauling armature to Bishop Creek Plant #4

1500 K.W. Allis-Chalmers Armature for Bishop Creek Plant #4

Colins & Young teamsters hauling armature from Laws SPNG RR depot to Bishop Creek Plant #4

Colins & Young teamsters hauling armature from Laws SPNG RR depot to Bishop Creek Plant #4 - 1905

Colins & Young teamsters hauling armature to Bishop Creek Plant #4

Bishop Creek Plant 4 interior

Bishop Creek Plant 4 interior

Switchboard Bishop Creek Plant #4

Bishop Creek Plant #4 interior

Bishop Creek Plant #4 interior

Bishop Creek Plant #4 interior

Bishop Creek Plant 4 interior

Bishop Creek Plant #4 interior

Rotating field 750 K.W., 450 RPM R. D. Type

Rotating field 750 K.W., 450 RPM R. D. Type - Partially Wound showing nickel steel keys

Bishop Creek Plant #4 interior

Bishop Creek Plant #4 - Miss May Grandquist
"Queen" Inyo County Festival and Plant 4 resident

Bishop Creek Plant #4 Clubhouse

Bishop Creek Plant #4 Clubhouse

Bishop Creek Plant #4 Operator's Quarters
Married employees are provided with comfortable cottages as at the other plants.
A combined boarding house and clubhouse is maintained for single employees,
visiting officials and guests.

Switch house and lightning arrester at Plant #4

Plant 4 residential complex
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Plant 4 residential complex
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Winter view from Bishop Creek Plant #4 towards Owens Valley from the clubhouse.

View from Bishop Creek Plant #4 towards Owens Valley

Operator's cottage at Bishop Creek Plant #4

Cottage at Bishop Creek Plant #4

Frame School at Bishop Creek Plant #4

Machine and Blacksmith shop at Bishop Creek Plant #4

Oil Shed at Bishop Creek Plant #4

Office and Warehouse at Bishop Creek Plant #4

Replacing a standing pipe at Plant 4

Replacing a standing pipe at Plant 4

Replacing a standing pipe at Plant 4

Replacing a standing pipe at Plant 4

Replacing a standing pipe at Plant 4

Replacing a standing pipe at Plant 4

Dredging supervisors L/R: Mike Zuvella and Billy Young

A "Snow Catcher"

Dredging Intake #4

Dredging Intake #4

Bishop Creek Powerhouse No. 5

Bishop Creek Plant #5
Water from the forebay at Plant #4 is delivered to Plant #5 through 3,470' of wood
stave pipeline and 2 steel pressure pipe lines, one 4,840' in length and the other 4,878'
in length. The pipes vary in diameter from 5' to 3.5' at the power house.
The generating equipment consists of one horizontal impulse water wheel and one
single discharge horizontal turbine with a combined capacity of 5,700 horsepower
direct-connected to two alternating current generators with combined
capacity of 3,545 Kv-a.

Hauling a piece of equipment to Bishop Creek Plant #5

General view Bishop Creek Plant #5

Interior Bishop Creek Plant #5 showing Exciter and Water Wheels for
1500 K.W. Generator

Plant 5 Powerhouse looking up the northeast tailrace
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

East end of Plant 5 and east tailrace
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Intake Dam for Plant 6

Plant 5 Powerhouse

Bishop Creek Plant #5

Interior Plant #5

Bishop Creek Powerhouse No. 6

Bishop Creek Plant #6
Water from the forebay at Plant #5 is supplied to Plant #6 through 3,000' of wood stave
pipe and 4,360 feet of steel pressure pipeline. The wood stave pipe is 5' in diameter
and the steel pipe is 4.5' in diameter.
The generating equipment consists of a double runner impulse water wheel with
a capacity of 2,850 horsepower direct-connected to an alternating current
generator with a capacity of 2,220 Kv-a.
The substation located at Plant #6 includes high voltage switching equipment
in addition to the bank of 750 Kv-a transformers. The distribution substation
supplying the towns of Bishop and Big Pine is also located at Bishop Creek Plant #6.

East side Plant 6 Powerhouse and Tailrace
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Bishop Creek Plant #6

60" wood stave pipe for Bishop Creek Plant #6

Bishop Creek Plant #6 outdoor transformers.

54" steel pipe leading to Bishop Creek Plant #6

General view of the Bishop Creek Plant #6 powerhouse and outdoor transformers.

General view of the Bishop Creek Plant #6 powerhouse and outdoor transformers.

General view of the Bishop Creek Plant #6 powerhouse and outdoor transformers.

Bishop Creek Plant #6 interior

Interior Bishop Creek Plant #6 showing governing devices and partial view of
water wheels and generator.

Interior Bishop Creek Plant #6
2000 K-va generator, showing safety guard about the rotor

Intake Bishop Creek Plant #6

Intake Bishop Creek Plant #6

Fobes 40 Ranch - Transformer at location ready for hanging - March 1952

Pulling a transformer on a toboggan to Fobes 40 Long Valley Ranch - March 1952
L/R: Cliff Jones, Howard Lambert, Rodney Montrose, Ed Johnson, Ray Humphrey

Situated on Bishop Creek near Plant #6, here practically all of the power generated
at the hydro-electric plants on Bishop Creek, Rush Creek, Leevining Creek and in Owens
River Gorge, is pooled for distribution to Nevada, Southern California, and for resale in
Arizona and Lower California.
From this station two outgoing 55,000 volt transmissioin lines supply the Nevada District;
and the 238 mile double circuit, three phase, 130,000 volt steel tower transmission
line extended to the main sutsbation of the Southern Sierras Power Company
at San Bernardino.
The Control Station is the headquarters of the Superintendentof Transmission.

This transmission line, connecting Control Station, Bishop Creek, with the San Bernardino Substation, is a 140,000 volt two-circuit steel tower line 238 miles in length.
The towers are 70' in height and are spaced eight to the mile, and vary in weight from
3,700 pounds for standard suspension towers to 11,400 pounds for Santa Fe Railroad
crossing towers.

Snow storm at the Control Station near Bishop Creek Plant #6

Control Station office near Bishop Creek Plant #6

Wishbone transmission tower between Bishop Creek Plant #6 and the Control Station

Near view of outdoor transformers at Bishop Creek Plant #6

Manually erecting a transmission tower pole.

Control Station near Bishop Creek Plant #6

Control Station

Office and Switch Station

Control Station dwelling

Control Station garage and water tank

Big Pine Creek Powerhouse
Big Pine Creek

Big Pine Powerhouse
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Big Pine Powerhouse and transformer
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Angle and Transposition transmission towers near Independence, CA - October 1913

Cottonwood Powerhouse
Cottonwood Creek

Installing side guys on tower near Lone Pine - 1952

Installing side guys on tower near Lone Pine - 1952

Cottonwood Power Plant looking east
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Overhaul of Pelton Wheel, Westinghouse Generator, 750KW, 2300 volts,
137 Amps, 600 RPM
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Cottonwood Generator Floor Looking West
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Cottonwood Power Plant looking east
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Cottonwood Power Plant Control Panel
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Cottonwood Creek Overhead Looking South
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Settling Pond, Intake and Raceway for Cottonwood Power Plant
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Cottonwood Power Plant South Wall - Looking West
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Haiwee Powerhouse
Los Angeles Aqueduct - Haiwee Reservoir

Haiwee Power Plant Transmission Lines
(Photo courtesy Digital Public Library)

Haiwee Power Plant
Step up transformers in Foreground, Surge Tank at To of Ridge
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Haiwee Power House
Bypass Channel in the Foreground, Looking Northwest
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Generator Floor Looking Northwest, GE AC Generator 306/368 AMP
375 RPM, 60/50 Cycles, 2300KW
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Disconnect alley, Referring to the switches on the left.
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Governor and speed control mechanisms tank
At left an accumulator ttank which stores air pressure
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Slate mounted control board
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Control room on the control floor
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Haiwee Power Plant floor looking east
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Backside of the circuit control board to the disconnect alley
Exciter unit, rheostats form big circular units
(Photo and text courtest Library of Congress)

Transmission Lines

Wood transmission poles in the Mojave Desert "Pole Yard"

Wood transmission poles in the Mojave Desert "Pole Yard"

Wood transmission poles in the Mojave Desert "Pole Yard"

Wood transmission poles in the Mojave Desert "Pole Yard"

Wood transmission poles in the Mojave Desert "Pole Yard"

Wood transmission poles in the Mojave Desert "Pole Yard"

When the truck breaks down - revert to mule power

Crew quarters on the desert - stuck in the sand after a flash flood

Hauling transmission poles in the desert

Coils of transmission wire

Erecting wood transmission towers in Owens Valley

Silver Lake power lines in Owens Valley

Erecting wood transmission towers in Owens Valley

Erecting wood transmission towers in the Mojave Desert

Steel transmission towers in the Mojave Desert

Erecting steel transmission towers in the Rose Valley

Erecting steel transmission towers in the Rose Valley

Erecting steel transmission towers in the Rose Valley

Erecting steel transmission towers in the Rose Valley

Inspecting the transmission towers on the Mojave Desert

Making an extension to one of the steel transmission towers
Note the block and tackle method of raising the extension.

General view of tower in a windstorm showing strain on the insulators.

Lone Pine Sub-Station

San Bernardino Power Distribution Center

Main Substation of the Southern Sierras Power Company - San Bernardino, CA
This is the southern terminus of the 238 mile steel tower transmission line from Control Station on Bishop Creek. Here current is received from four sources for
distribution - from the eleven hydro plants in the North; from the San Bernardino steam-electric generating plant, shown on the right; from the interconnections
with the Southern California Edison Company's system, and from the San Diego Consolidated Gas and Electric Company through the Rincon interconnection.

Power is distributed here to all points on the System in Southern California and for resale in Arizona and Lower California.

Main switching yard as seen from the steam plant in San Bernardino

Southern Sierras Power Company headquarters in San Bernardino