News Release Archive

Folsom Dam Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary

Media Contact: Jeffrey McCracken, 916-978-5100, 05/11/2006 18:10

For Release: May 11, 2006

Please join the Bureau of Reclamation in celebrating Folsom Dam's 50th anniversary on Saturday, May 20, 2006, at Beals Point Day Use Area, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area on Folsom-Auburn Road.

The event starts at 10 a.m. A Rededication Ceremony will begin at 10:45 a.m. with a military flyover. Anticipated guest speakers include Congresswoman Doris Matsui; Mr. William Rinne, Acting Reclamation Commissioner; Mr. Matt Mahood, Sacramento Chamber of Commerce; and others.

The ceremony will be followed by a day of activities to include interactive and interesting exhibit booths, River Otter boat rides, vintage cars, 1950s music, and food. "RD Frequency," a group of singers and dancers from Radio Disney (AM 1470), will perform for the children, host games and contests, and give away prizes. A limited edition U.S. Postal Service cachet will also be available. The event ends at 6 p.m.

Limited parking will be available at Beals Point for $7. Attendees may also walk or bike in or park for free at the Glenn Regional Transit Station in Folsom and take a shuttle to the event. An exhibit, Floods and Flows: The Story of Folsom Dam, continues at the Folsom History Museum until July 9, 2006. Photos, artifacts, and interactive exhibits demonstrate the construction and purpose of the dam. Located at 823 Sutter Street, Folsom, the museum is open Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for ages 13-17; children 12 and under are free. For more information, please visit the museum's website at http://www.FolsomHistoryMuseum.org or call 916-985-2707.

Completed in 1956 for flood control, Folsom Dam also provides water for agriculture, homes, fisheries, hydropower generation, recreation, and habitat protection. For additional information on Folsom Dam's 50th anniversary celebration, please call the American River Water Education Center at 916-989-7275 or visit their website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/arwec.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.

Relevant Link:

American River Water Education Center

Folsom History Museum