Silver Lake Reservoir Complex

Background

Silver Lake Reservoir Complex is a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) water operations facility, which originated as the site of Silver Lake and Ivanhoe Reservoirs built in the early 1900s as open reservoirs. Changes to state and federal drinking water regulations required LADWP to cover, bypass or treat open reservoir water storage facilities throughout the City of Los Angeles. To comply with the new drinking water regulations, LADWP constructed a new buried water storage facility known as Headworks, a new bypass pipeline along the bottom of Silver Lake Reservoir to connect Headworks to the rest of the drinking water system, and taking both Ivanhoe and Silver Lake Reservoirs offline. While the reservoirs are no longer in service, LADWP opted to maintain the open water bodies for the benefit of the surrounding communities. The Silver Lake Reservoir Complex (SLRC) continues to be an operational facility with important water system infrastructure.

Over the years, the SLRC has become a community amenity as LADWP worked with several city agencies and community partners to provide community access to portions of the facility. While there are water system operational facilities and uses that remain, LADWP continues to work with its partners to make improvements to the site and explore the possibilities for the future uses of the SLRC.

Current Status

Improvement Projects

After receiving feedback from members of the community in and around the Silver Lake area, LADWP has responded to requests from the public with a series of improvements that include the South Dam and Ivanhoe Pathways.

Silver Lake Improvement pdf

Infrastructure Projects

Although the reservoirs are not a potable drinking water storage facility, LADWP will maintain the reservoirs’ water elevations within historical levels, and allow the reservoirs to revert to a more natural state. Several projects are underway that will provide the infrastructure necessary to ensure that the reservoirs’ historic water elevation levels and aesthetics are maintained.

SLRC Water System Infrastructure Projects pdf

Silver Lake Master Plan

With the bypass pipeline completed, LADWP identified portions of the property that could be considered for potential passive and recreational uses while carefully considering the areas of the SLRC needed for its current and future operational needs.

LADWP agreed to fund a Master Plan that would provide an opportunity for public participation in determining the future for the public use areas in the SLRC. The Master Plan will guide improvements and protection of the reservoirs, and seek to balance its historic character, its use as a community gathering place, its strategic location within the Silver Lake community, and its unique blend of both operational and recreational spaces.

In March 2018, the Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering (BOE) began the Silver Lake Reservoir Complex Master Plan process. BOE is leading the planning process, with the support of Council Districts 13 and 4, and in coordination with LADWP. In January 2022, information is available about the Notice of Preparation for development of the Silver Lake Master Plan Environmental Impact Report, please click here.