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Rural Mysteries of the North Fork Polygon

Pros and Cons of Believing in the Auburn Ghost Dam

Auburn Ghost Dam Break of 1986

The legend of the Auburn Ghost Dam has a long and convoluted history, including bridges built too high, mysterious river tunnels, and broken practice dams. For people who are having trouble deciding if ghosts are real, we provide a handy-dandy chart to help you untangle the facts from the fiction and to separate the irony from the cynicism.

Auburn Dam and American River Debate Table

IssueProsCons
RecreationThe Auburn Reservoir would enhance power boating recreation for those that don't want to drive an extra few minutes to Folsom Lake, or Combie Lake, or Rollins Lake, etc...Flooding of hundreds of miles of historic hiking, biking, and equestrian trails used by over a million recreationalists per year, including the world famous Tevis Cup and Western States trails. Loss of white water rafting, rock climbing areas, Lake Clementine, Mammoth Bar OHV park, BASE jumping, historic Hawver Cave, historic "no-hands bridge", Codfish Falls, and historic gold mining and Native American archeological sites.
Power ProductionWill produces expensive electricity for power companies to sell to tax payers.Costs tax payers $10 billion to construct dam and powerhouse. Requires water to be drained during boating season to generate electricity.
Water StorageStores expensive water for utilities to sell to tax payers.Costs tax payers $10 billion to construct dam. Requires reservoir to be kept empty to provide maximum flood protection.
Drought ProtectionStores water for use during potential future droughts.Must be maintained empty to provide maximum flood protection for Sacramento.
Flood ProtectionProvides flood protection for homes built in the Sacramento flood plain when reservoir managed at a low level.Dam will be constructed directly over an earthquake fault and upriver from another large reservoir which is upriver from a major metropolitan area. Must be kept full to provide maximum water storage, electricity, profit, and boating.
Community ImpactsWill raise property values for the lucky few with lake-view property.Will require earthquake insurance for homeowners within 10 miles of dam due to possible reservoir induced seismicity. Loss of tax revenue from recreation, adventure tourism, and movie locations.
Wildlife ProtectionProvides additional water for endangered fisheries in the Sacramento delta.Floods miles of wild and scenic river fisheries and 1000's of acres of canyon wildlife habitat.
TransportationThe top of the dam could provide fast and convenient access to the Town of Cool and the Georgetown Divide.The dam will likely be closed to pedestrian and auto traffic by Homeland Security much as Folsom Dam road is currently closed to prevent terrorists from endangering downriver municipalities.

History of the Auburn Ghost Dam

Mad Scientists and Politicians and the American River Mystery Tunnel

1968 - The first ceremonial shovel of dirt, signaling pre-construction work at the dam site just outside Auburn. Plans call for a dam 700 feet high with 2.5 million acre-feet capacity. Total cost of the project is estimated at $428 million.

1969 - 1971 - A "practice cofferdam" was constructed.

1972 - The river was diverted through a half-mile mystery tunnel.

1971 - 1973 - The Foresthill Bridge was constructed 730 feet above the American River. The span is now the fourth tallest in the world, built this high in order to pass above an imaginary reservoir.

1975 - The Lake Oroville earthquake sparked earthquake concerns and the Association of Engineering Geologists issued a report stating that the Auburn dam design would be unsafe if a moderate earthquake occurs. Dam failure could send a 100-foot high wall of water towards Sacramento.

1986 - The "practice cofferdam" was washed away by the biggest flood anyone has ever seen! Sacramento survives despite the sudden surge of water combined with mismanagement at Folsom Dam.

2006 - A $1 million study determined that it will actually cost about $10 BILLION to construct the Auburn Dam!

2007 - The mysterious tunnel was closed and the river was diverted back into its original channel.

2008 - The Auburn dam officially died when the State water board revoked the water rights it dedicated to the American River project nearly 40 years ago.

Research References

 

Rural Mysteries of the North Fork Polygon