The giant jackhammer machine, called a hoe ram, slowly made its way to the San Clemente Dam, crawling up the steep, 70-foot-high embankment of earth placed against the dam. Once at the top, it began hammering at the cement at the far left corner. Hearing and seeing the first jackhammer strikes made it all real. This 106-foot-tall San Clemente Dam was actually coming down!
With the logistical help of Bill McGowan at Granite Construction and Bruce Dormody at San Clemente Rancho, I have been documenting through plein air painting the San Clemente Dam Removal and Carmel River Reroute Project since June 2014.
Fast forward to Thursday, July 30, 2015. I arrived at the Dormody land at 8am to document the beginning of the San Clemente Dam demolition. I waited and waited, and waited some more. It seemed maybe they weren’t quite ready. Then a few hours later, at approximately 10:55 am, I glanced up from my drawing to see the hoe ram was finally moving up the earth.
It is a strange feeling to see it being destroyed – so many man hours of hard labor went into creating it. As far as structures go, it was graceful.
Since that first day of demolition, I’ve gone to the site five more times, each day doing more sketches, paintings, photos, video and sound recordings. I am continuing the documentation, down to the river level.
Day by day, the dam is being turned to dust and rubble and twisted metal. By the end of this month or sooner, the people operating the monstrous jackhammers will be finished with their work and, most likely, the last of the rubble will be cleared.
Immersing myself in such an historic project is invigorating not only for the opportunity to be there firsthand, but also to share the experience with the public through these various mediums.
Some of the thoughts people have shared are that they are excited and happy to see it come down. It is something they have been waiting for, watching and participating in the political process that has unfolded over many years. Comments from people on the blog I am keeping express a variety of thoughts:
“It’s sad to see a piece of Carmel Valley history being torn down.”
“I imagine all the memories that it holds, expiring as the concrete falls.”
“No matter how beautifully made the corset, removing it will allow our wonderful little river to breathe normally again.”
One can only imagine what the steelhead trout might express to their progeny. They won’t have to try to swim up a steep fish ladder anymore, or fall into the plunge pool 96 feet below. It will be a momentous occasion to see the Carmel River flow unimpeded at this location for the first time in 92 years.