A Century of L.A. Water

1902 The City of Los Angeles buys the Los Angeles Water Co. for $2 million. With the purchase comes a new city employee: Superintendent William Mulholland.

1904 Mulholland visits the Owens River Valley and returns to sell the city on an aqueduct.

1913 The L.A. Aqueduct is finished; water is delivered to the San Fernando Reservoir. Mulholland is encouraged to run for mayor.

1928 L.A. and 12 other Southern California cities form the Metropolitan Water District. St. Francis Dam in Saugus gives way, killing more than 450 people. Mulholland resigns.

1934 Mono Lake expansion is begun. L.A. Aqueduct would be extended by 105 miles, increasing capacity by 35 percent.

1941 The Colorado River Aqueduct is finished amid a water glut. For two months, Southern California receives free water.

1960 Los Angeles population grows to 2,481,595 spread over 458 square miles.

1970 The second Los Angeles Aqueduct is placed into service.

1973 The California Aqueduct is completed, redirecting northern water to parched Southern California.

1998 Los Angeles reaches an agreement to divert water back to the Owens Valley lakebed to reduce dust storms.

2000 Diamond Valley Lake.