Shasta Dam only by Hoover Dam on the Colorado – as well as the highest man-made structure in California. It was also the second most massive concrete dam measured by volume, exceeded only by Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in Washington. An anonymous workman reportedly said, "Old Shasta's about the secondest dam there is." When the dam was completed, chief engineer Frank Crowe is known to have declared, "Look at that Shasta Dam. That dam will stand there forever holding back the river. And that powerhouse will keep right on turning out juice until somebody discovers how to make power
Shasta Dam behind it, the dam was completed to its final shape and the last bucket of concrete was poured on January 2, 1945. During this time, the Shasta Dam powerplant, with a capacity of 379 MW, was also under construction. Five steel penstocks, each in diameter, were installed to provide water to drive the turbines in the power station. The powerhouse was a reinforced concrete structure standing above the river; electricity was first generated there in 1944. The dam was completed at the dawn of 1945. When Shasta was completed, it was the second highest dam in the world – surpassed