Today we visited Shasta dam which restricts the Sacramento River (plus two smaller rivers) forming Lake Shasta. Mt Shasta is 60 miles away, snow covered and not very visible in today's haze and clouds. Oh well, seeing 3 out of 4 isn't too bad. The dam is 602 feet high and 3640 feet across the top and 882 feet thick at the base. After walking across the top of the dam to a tower we travelled down inside the dam via an elevator, walked 800 feet through the dam to the power house where there are five large turbines generating electricity. The dam was built between 1938 and 1945; 14 workers were killed in the process. The dams primary purposes were to control flooding and supply a constant water supply primarily for irrigation; power generation was secondary. There are several osprey nests perched to top of power and other structures, moms were sitting on the eggs while dads fished. One flew under us when we were on top of the dam, you can see him flying over rock rubble. Click on the rock picture to enlarge it and you'll see the osprey in the center.
We had to walk back to the truck to get the camera, they weren't allowed on the tour inside but you could use them outside.
