As reported in the Monterey Herald on August 4, the demolition and removal of the San Clemente Dam began in early August with concrete and reinforced steel being hauled off in truckloads. Built in 1921, the dam is the dominant component of the California American Water (CAW) Carmel River reroute project.
According to CAW Project Manager J. Aman Gonzalez, “The top third of the dam will be removed by the end of the week or the beginning of next week, with the rest of the structure removed by the third week of August.”
The removal of the 106-foot-tall, 7,000-square-foot dam is the largest project of its kind in California’s history and can be viewed on the Monterey Herald’s website’s photo gallery. The state’s Coastal Conservancy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s National Marine Fisheries Service and Nature Conservancy, as well as private donors and CAW’s customers, will share the cost of the $84 million project.
*Image: Granite Construction crews working on the $84 million San Clemente Dam removal project. The third and final stage of the project is scheduled to be completed by December. (Vern Fisher – Monterey Herald)
