Bleachers Rising for Saturday Dedication of Southland's Newest and Largest Lake.

Business Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2000

Bleachers for an expected 4,000 people are going up for Saturday's dedication of Diamond Valley Lake, Southern California's newest and largest water storage facility, near Hemet in southwestern Riverside County.

Within weeks, the dedication site itself will be under water.

"We're looking forward to a very memorable day, and an important one for Southern California, the state and the West," said Ronald R. Gastelum, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Saturday's event is being ranked with the dedications of Southern California's three other major water supply facilities: Los Angeles' aqueduct to the Owens Valley (1913), Metropolitan's Colorado River Aqueduct (1938) and the State Water Project (1972).

"This lake continues Southern California's great tradition of providing water supply projects not only to benefit the present population and economy, but for future generations as well," Gastelum said.

Already about one-eighth full, when filled in several years with water from the Colorado River and Northern California, the lake will hold 260 billion gallons. It will nearly double the storage capacity of Southern California's major reservoirs and provide the region with an insurance policy against droughts and post-earthquake shortages.

"Diamond Valley Lake already holds more water than nearby lakes Skinner and Silverwood, and is gaining rapidly on Lake Perris," said Jill Wicke, manager of Metropolitan water system operations. "When it's filled, it will hold more than two Castaics; it'll hold more water than Lake Havasu."

Event tickets were distributed to the public by the Southland's 27 cities and water agencies that are members of Metropolitan Water District. Additionally, about 15,000 tickets have been distributed to open houses scheduled for Sunday, March 19; Saturday, March 25; and Sunday, March 26.

"This will definitely be something to tell your grandchildren about," said MWD Chairman Phillip J. Pace.

Saturday's dedication ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. overlooking the lake's 270-foot-tall inlet/outlet tower and the nearly two-mile-wide west dam. Participants have been asked to arrive at 9:30 a.m. or earlier, as they must then be bused up to the site.

The program, emceed by popular public television personality Huell Howser, will include remarks by federal, state and local dignitaries.

During the dedication program, two dozen MWD employees will run a relay race across the West Dam carrying water from the Colorado River and State Water Project. When the runners reach the inlet/outlet, the water will be poured into the lake in a symbolic mixing of the lake's two sources.

Shortly thereafter, the dedicatory plaque will be unveiled; a California Department of Forestry aircraft will drop water into the lake; fireworks will explode; combined high school bands will play; and a massive cascade of water will be released from four portals on the inlet/outlet tower 125 feet into the lake below. Such a display may never be seen again, as the tower's facade will be submerged in the next few years.

The project's visitors center and viewpoint, which have attracted up to 1,000 people per day, will be closed during the dedication events but open on weekdays and weekends thereafter. Phone [phone] for hours and directions.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a consortium composed of 27 cities and water agencies serving nearly 17 million people in six counties. The District imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water-recycling, desalination, conservation, storage and other water-management programs.