New Melones Unit Project (PDF)

A history of the New Melones Project of the Bureau of Reclamation written in 1994 as part of the Bureau of Reclamation History Program.

“Conclusion
The New Melones Dam stands as a reminder of the conflicts surrounding growth,
the environment, and water in the West. The Corps built it at the end of the era of
large dam construction. Even without the environmental controversy that
surrounds the project, the operational and water yield problems will certainly
cause continued difficulties well into the future. With the enormity of the
problems facing New Melones, it seems unlikely that the project will ever realize
its full potential as a multi use unit. Indeed, new Melones may become a case
study of all that can go wrong with a project.”