| Shasta Dam impounds the Sacramento River in northern California. Like all concrete gravity dams, Shasta Dam holds back the water in its reservoir, Shasta Lake, by the sheer force of its weight. Built of solid concrete, the massive structure rises 183 m (602 ft). It measures 165 m (542 ft) at the base and just 9 m (30 ft) at the crest. This shape, typical of concrete gravity dams, counteracts the force of the water pressing against the dam at the bottom of the reservoir, where the pressure is most intense. |
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