30 miles from LA
50 miles from LA
55 miles from LA
160 miles from LA
170 miles from LA
190 miles from LA
230 miles from LA
280 miles from LA
280 miles from LA
290 miles from LA
315 miles from LA
330 miles from LA
335 miles from LA
30 miles from LA
WATER & POWER
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This project chronicles the 100 year old Los Angeles Aqueduct and its hydroelectric power plants, beginning at its termination at the Cascades and tracing back to its origin at Mono Lake. It captures the aqueduct's infrastructure as it traverses diverse landscapes—deserts, mountains, and valleys—highlighting its scale and architectural impact on the environment. It also documents the hydroelectric power plants along the route, still powered by the original turbines and machinery from over a century ago.
Story pitch and photography by Brandon Tauszik.
Published in the Science History Institute.
50 miles from LA
55 miles from LA
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Living here is unique because it is a community, it’s a brotherhood. Working here gives you a sense of purpose because we’re delivering water and power to the city of LA. But we’re also preserving history here, by having a working museum.
– Dean Aldridge
Control Operator, Power Plant One
160 miles from LA
170 miles from LA
“
We get the water from the reservoir, it goes down the penstock and the water essentially moves a water wheel that's connected to a shaft. That shaft is connected to a generator. This unit is generating 2.3 megawatts. Over at the steam plants, they have units that generate 100 megawatts. So we are really small compared to the bigger picture.
– Christopher Giron
Traveling Relief Operator, Haiwee Power Plant
190 miles from LA
230 miles from LA
280 miles from LA
“
These hydroelectric plants were American built. This is back when all electrical parts were built in America and they didn't know what was going to happen in the future. So they built them super strong, overdid all the specs on them. So they last.
– Brad Varnum
Electric Station Operator, Big Pine Power Plant
280 miles from LA
290 miles from LA
315 miles from LA
330 miles from LA
335 miles from LA