The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) conducted a preliminary engineering investigation of possible alternatives to improve performance of the North Haiwee Dam.  This was after previous seismic investigations determined that the dam would not perform satisfactorily under a Controlling Maximum Credible Earthquake (CMCE).  The study found that the dam, constructed in 1913, needed to be reinforced, reconstructed, or replaced.  One alternative involves constructing a new dam, North Haiwee Dam No. 2 (NHD2), at a site 800 feet north of the existing dam and realigning portions of the First Los Angeles Aqueduct and Cactus Flat Road.

Planning and engineering for the construction and realignment work could not go forward without determining the expected environmental impacts of constructing and operating the project.  This is required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.

The project site is located at the southern end of Owens Valley at the eastern toe of the Sierra Nevada.  This is approximately 2.5 miles southeast of the Town of Olancha.  CWE managed the portion of the environmental assessment work that fell under the Hydrology and Water Quality section of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Environmental Assessment (EA).  The study involved evaluating hydrologic and water quality impacts from failure of the newly constructed dam and impacts to drainage and water quality from realignment of the road and aqueduct.