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Description
Friant Dam, located on the upper San Joaquin River, was built between the years of 1937 and 1942 and is located on the boundary of Madera and Fresno Counties. The Dam was a main feature of the Central Valley Project, a federal water project that involved building an expansive system of dams and canals on the rivers of the Central Valley to provide water for agriculture with secondary purposes of flood control. The dam, constructed under the supervision of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, impounds Millerton Lake, which has a total capacity of 520,528 acre feet of water. On what is now the town of Friant, camps were built that housed over 500 federal employees. During the Great Depression, Madera and Fresno Counties saw a massive influx of individuals seeking employment through the Works Project Administration. This film, recorded by Clay and Inez Thompson of Madera County, is recorded from different views within Madera County and at the Dam Construction Site. It also includes views of the San Joaquin river prior to construction of the Dam. California Audiovisual Preservation Project
Type
moving image
Format
Original Silent Color 8mm film
Extent
1 Reel of 1
Identifier
cma_000077
Language
English
Place
Madera County (Calif.)
Provenance
Madera County Library, California History and Family Research Room California Revealed is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
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