The Los Angeles Aqueduct is a modern marvel that delivers a significant amount of high-quality water to Los Angeles. For nearly a century now, it has remained in operation, delivering a safe and reliable water supply from the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Having utilized much of the local groundwater supply and needing more water to support future growth, the City in 1913 invested $23 million on the First Los Angeles Aqueduct, tapping into the waters of the Owens River to support a growing population to the south. In 1940, $40 million was invested to extend the first aqueduct 40 miles north to tape into high-quality streams that were tributaries to Mono Lake. Needing additional capacity to augment deliveries by its first aqueduct, the City again invested $88 million in 1970 to complete construction of the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct, which doubled the City’s ability to deliver water from the Mono Basin and Owens Valley to Los Angeles.

Today, Los Angeles Aqueduct deliveries have, on average, supplied about half of the City’s water needs over the last ten years.