Shasta Dam, just outside Redding, is an impressive structure. Its the second largest dam in the country. This massive structure has three major purposes: flood control, to provide hydroelectric power and to quench the thirst of thousands of California crops. The spillway of the dam is the largest manmade waterfall in the world.
More than 6,000 men and women built Shasta Dam from 1938 to 1945, making it one of the largest construction projects at that time, and an engineering wonder. There is a visitor center at the dam that shows a 30-minute film on water usage in California on request. One-hour tours of the dam are given. There is no charge.<