Raising of Shasta Dam Introduction The Shasta Dam spans across the Sacramento River in northern California, and backs up water up to 35 miles to form the Shasta Lake, which is the largest reservoir in California. The Shasta Dam irrigates 3 million acres of farmland and produces drinkable water for over 2 million of California’s residents (KRCR news). The dam was constructed in 1938 and was a great boost to California’s economy; but the engineers in charge of the project did not foresee the problems we are currently facing today. The general problem we are facing in the state is the prolonged drought that does not seem to be showing signs of improvement. According the United States Bureau of Reclamation, the storage…show more content… The project created many jobs for California residents and sparked uproar of people flocking to the golden state to get a piece of the action. The Shasta Dam was officially completed in 1945. When the dam first began operation California was in a good position. According to the National Park Services the Shasta dam is an important part of the Bureau of Reclamations Central Valley Project, which involves about 35 counties in California and two major watersheds. The watersheds extend nearly 500 miles through out California from the Sacramento River to the San Joaquin River. The Shasta Dam helps irrigate some of the most fertile and productive areas in the state. There are more than 250 varieties of crops grown in these areas, including almonds, artichokes, avocados and wine grapes (NPS.gov). But California is heading into its 4th consecutive year of a severe drought, and many of these areas whose economies are based off agriculture are beginning to suffer. The Bureau of Reclamations plan is to raise the height of the dam 18.5 feet which would increase storage capacity by 14%. The increase in storage capacity would flood 5,000 acres of land (KQED.org). However this increase in capacity would help get water to the areas in dire need of