[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 59 (Monday, May 15, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E831-E832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            A TRIBUTE TO THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOLSOM DAM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 15, 2006

  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Folsom Dam, a one million 
acre-foot multiple-purpose reservoir near Sacramento, California, that 
was completed 50 years ago this month, in May 1956. Severe storms have 
hit the greater Sacramento metropolitan region a number of times in the 
last 50 years and without the Folsom Dam, Sacramento would undoubtedly 
have flooded and caused millions of dollars of damage to the region. As 
local, State, and Federal officials gather to ether to celebrate this 
significant achievement, I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in 
commemorating the 50th anniversary of the completion of the Folsom Dam.
  Folsom Dam was initially authorized as a 355,000 acre-foot flood 
control unit, but in 1949 it was reauthorized as a 1,000,000 acre-foot 
multiple-use facility. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began building 
the dam in October 1948 and officially completed construction in May 
1956. Even before the facility was completed, Folsom Dam was already 
storing water and was finished just in time to contain flows from a 
winter storm that filled the dam in a week. This first test of Folsom 
Dam proved that it would be able to successfully contain flows from 
severe storms and thereby prevent major flooding in Sacramento. Each 
year since 1956, Folsom Dam has prevented potential flooding from 
winter storms and spring snow melt.
  After the dam's completion, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
transferred Folsom Dam to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for 
coordinated operation as an integral part of the Central Valley 
Project. Although its primary purpose is flood control, Folsom Dam 
stores water for irrigation and urban use as well as for electrical 
power generation, salinity control in the Bay-Delta, ecosystem 
restoration, and recreation. Directly below the dam is the Folsom Power 
Plant consisting of three generators that produce almost 200,000 
kilowatts of clean, renewable electricity to meet the need of nearly 10 
percent of the power used in Sacramento each year.
  The largest demand for water stored at Folsom Lake has been from 
California's vast agricultural needs. The crops grown from water stored 
at Folsom include beans, almonds, apricots, asparagus, peaches, 
tomatoes, walnuts, and dozens of the other fruits and vegetables that 
drive the State's economy.
  Moreover, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area ranks as the most popular 
lake in the California State Parks and Recreation system with more than 
1 million visitors annually. At the lake, visitors can enjoy themselves 
with such activities as boating, fishing, hiking, cycling, running, 
camping, and picnicking.

[[Page E832]]

  For 50 years Folsom Dam has provided the residents of Sacramento with 
increased flood protection, recreation, water storage, and power. With 
proposed modifications to Folsom Dam in the pipeline, Californians will 
enjoy even greater flood protection in the years to come. Mr. Speaker, 
as residents of Sacramento gather to commemorate this significant 
milestone, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to 
the 50th anniversary of Folsom Dam.

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