Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot, Redwood Cooling Tower, U.S. Highway 95, Hawthorne

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER NEV,11-HAWT,4A-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot (NAD) is a nationally significant military district. It was built for state-of-the-art ammunition storage in the late and is by and far the largest depot of its kind known in the world with magazines and storehouses, 212 miles of railroad track, 418 miles of blacktop, and 232 square miles of land. It is significant for its role in World War II. Producing a vast amount of ordnance, it was THE Naval Ammunition Depot for the Pacific Theater during World War n. The Cooling Tower was built in during the tremendous expansion of the Depot during the World War II period. Report Prepared by: Ana B.

Koval, Principal Rainshadow Associates, Hillview Road Berkeley, CA Date: September HAWTHORNE NAVAL AMMUNITION DEPOT, Redwood Cooling Tower (Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot, Building. No. HAER No. NV-5-A page 2 The Cooling Tower, Building No. was built in during the tremendous expansion of the Depot during the World War II period. It was constructed to the west of the Industrial Area during an upgrade of the water system. The Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot (NAD) is a nationally significant military district. It was built for state-of-the-art ammunition storage in the late and is by and far the largest depot of its kind known in the world with magazines and storehouses, 212 miles of railroad track, 418 miles of blacktop, and 232 square miles of land.

It is significant for its role in World War II. Producing a vast amount of ordnance, it was THE Naval Ammunition Depot for the Pacific Theater during World War H. Operations have included: production of propellant charges, projectiles, bombs and rockets; demilitarization of all types of munitions; and storage of national stock piles of munitions. Since the until the facility was turned over to the Army in Hawthorne NAD was the country's largest producer of Navy mines and depth charges. The Hawthorne NAD is also significant for the role it played in the military history of the State of Nevada. It is the oldest twentieth century U. S. military reservation in Nevada representing 50 plus years of federal military operation.

It has been in continuous active operational status since its commissioning in The Depot contains the best collection of early twentieth century military, cultural resources in Nevada. It also represents the largest industrial activity in the State of Nevada during World War II, as well as during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. The Depot significantly changed the fortunes of the town of Hawthorne becoming the local area's major employer and bringing relative economic stability to the town of Hawthorne since its commissioning. Over 90% of the buildings within the plus acres of the Hawthorne NAD date from World War n or before.

The district as a whole and great majority of the individual buildings within it retain integrity of design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. Description: The Cooling Tower, Building No. was used to cool well water from until Two of the several wells required that the water being pumped out of the ground be cooled. The hot water was pumped through the cooling tower and then the cooled water was stored in a gallon underground storage tank. The tower is 12 feet by 30 feet by 39 feet tall and sits on a poured concrete foundation of stem walls, footers, and a slab. The tower itself was constructed of 4" by 4" posts which support panels of redwood slats. The tower is one bay wide by three bays long with each structural bay containing a complete X brace.

The water is pumped HAWTHORNE NAVAL AMMUNITION DEPOT, Redwood Cooling Tower (Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot, Building. No. HAER No. NV-5-A page 3 to the top of the tower and is run over the redwood panels directing the water back and forth through five levels, creating a manmade waterfall and cooling the water. The water is stored underground until it is piped into the water system. A ladder on the north side of the tower and a catwalk was used to maintain the tower. The tower is in deteriorating condition with a crumbing concrete foundation and missing and broken redwood elements. The tower was constructed in at a cost of and cooled water for 45 years using only energy to pump the water into the tower.

This design appears to have been one of several cooling towers designed by The Fluor Corporation in The drawings which accompany this report appear to be similar to the cooling tower constructed but not exactly the same. (See page History: The Hawthorne NAD was created by an Act of Congress following the destruction of the Navy's East Coast main ammunition facility in In million were allotted for the development of the Naval Ammunition Depot at Hawthorne. Starting in plans were laid to increase the size of the depot. In the expansion began in earnest and the depot began producing ammunition and shipping it to classified locations. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December Hawthorne NAD took on new importance; the Hawthorne depot was the principal west coast naval ammunition plant.

Over construction workers increased the size of the depot tenfold during World War n and workers produced a tremendous amount of ammunition. Bombs, mines, and rockets were filled and assembled at Hawthorne NAD. Mines and rockets were also being developed and tested here. The Hawthorne Depot continued to play an important role in the Navy's chain of producing, storing, and destroying munitions after World War II. After the depot was responsible for the destruction of thousands of tons of munitions. During the Korean and Vietnam conflicts the Hawthorne NAD provided back-up storage of conventional ammunition and mines for the entire Pacific theater.

In under directive of the Department of Defense, Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot was transferred to the Army and became the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant. History of Water Supply:1 Below is a history of the Hawthorne Depot's water system through The original water supply for this Depot was obtained entirely from surface run-off in Cat and Rose Creeks. The supply system consisted of one 5" collection line from 1 Indenco Engineers, Inc. "Water Supply Study for the Naval Ammunition Depot, Hawthorne, Nevada", (circa Section 2, pp. HAWTHORNE NAVAL AMMUNITION DEPOT, Redwood Cooling Tower (Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot, Building. No. HAER No.

NV-5-A page 4 Cat Creek and one 4" collection line from Rose Creek, both of which fed into a single 8" line that carried the water from a valve box located at the site of the present distribution reservoir to a point in the industrial area. In this system was augmented by construction of a two compartment earth covered concrete distribution reservoir. This reservoir having a capacity of gallons and an elevation of overflow of feet above Mean Sea Level, is still in service as a distribution reservoir for the Station. In additional storage for the system was provided by construction of a concrete arch dam in Cat Creek above the distribution reservoir.

Total storage in the Cat Creek Reservoir is 50 million gallons; it is an on-stream reservoir, and its spillway elevation is feet above Mean Sea Level. In still another storage reservoir was built. This reservoir, having a capacity of 35 million gallons, and a spillway elevation of feet above mean sea level, is located on an off-stream shelf in Rose Creek Canyon. When put into operation, this reservoir developed extensive leakage through sides and bottom, and an unsuccessful attempt was made to seal it with Bentonite Clay. Subsequently, this clay was removed and replaced with a Gunite lining, which has apparently been effective in sealing the reservoir.

Also in a diversion structure was built in Squaw Creek Canyon, and a 3" pipe line run to a tie-in with the original 4" Rose Creek line, adding an additional source to the Station's supply. In the 5" line from Cat Creek reservoir to the Distribution Reservoir was paralleled with another 5" line, and this new line was continued from the distribution reservoir out to the 110 Area. In an additional 8" pipe line was run from Rose Creek Reservoir to the Distribution Reservoir paralleling the original 4" line; and a 10" high pressure line was run in from Cat Creek Dam to an elevated tank in the Ordinance Area (Tank No. 5). The 10" high pressure line together with Tank No. 5 transformed Cat Creek Reservoir from a storage reservoir to a combination storage and distribution reservoir.

This line and the completion of Well No. 1 in established a distribution system that was in actually three separate systems as follows: 1. Surface water distributed from one-half of the Station reservoir for domestic and industrial use in the industrial area. 2. Well water distributed from the other half of the station reservoir for irrigation and fire protection in the industrial area. 3. Surface water distributed from Cat Creek and Tank No. 5, for all uses in the North Magazine Area. HAWTHORNE NAVAL AMMUNITION DEPOT, Redwood Cooling Tower (Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot, Building. No. HAER No. NV-5-A page 5 From to the system built around the 10" high pressure line was expanded by the addition of Tank No.

6 for fire protection in the smokeless powder and projectile magazine areas, and by addition of a pressure reducing station and a 10" pressure line to supply Tank No. 7 in the Low Cost Housing Area (Babbitt). Also during this period 5 additional wells were drilled and 6 additional elevated tanks installed to augment the irrigation supply and to furnish water to the Pamlico Area, which is relatively far removed from the other areas served. In the Bureau of Reclamation prepared a preliminary report on the domestic water supply for the Station and recommended that the Navy construct a 50 million gallon storage reservoir, and also purchase all water rights on Dutch and Cottonwood Creeks to supplement the existing supply of surface water.

Acting upon this recommendation, the Navy did purchase the water rights in Cottonwood Creek, and in built a diversion structure and laid 9.8 miles of 10 and 12 inch pipe line from Cottonwood Creek to the Station distribution reservoir. Subsequently, a problem arose in connection with this installation: in the fall and winter of no water reached the diversion structure although there was water in the stream bed above; and upon investigation, it was discovered that during the low flows, the stream was going underground before reaching the diversion. To remedy this situation, a temporary diversion structure was constructed approximately feet upstream from the initial diversion, and an 8" pipe line laid connecting the two.

This installation did not eliminate the underground losses in the basin immediately behind the initial diversion structure, and in the winter of this basin was lined with Gunite, which has apparently accomplished the desired purpose. With regard to the recommended 50 million gallon storage reservoir, construction was begun in and completed in the spring of However, before the initial filling of this reservoir could be completed, the foundation material failed, apparently due to consolidation under seepage, and to the date of this report, this reservoir has never been filled to capacity. Repair work is under way at this writing (circa and it is believed that this reservoir will be in service in the near future.

The recommendation regarding purchase of water rights on Dutch Creek has not been acted upon by the Navy to date, but in a Parshall Flume was installed at the probable diversion site on the creek to measure flows. In construction was started on an entirely separate irrigation system to supply well water to alfalfa stands and windbreaks in the Babbitt area. This system was completed under a second contract in Also in another connection to the 10" high pressure line from Cat Creek was made to augment the Babbitt supply. This connection consisted of of 8" steel pipe, and pressure reducing valve pit and connection to the existing 10" low pressure line from Babbitt to the Naval Barracks area. HAWTHORNE NAVAL AMMUNITION DEPOT, Redwood Cooling Tower (Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot, Building.

No. HAER No. NV-5-A page 6 In addition to all of the foregoing, a new source of water for the Station was tapped in by installing a diversion structure on House Creek with a 4 inch pipeline tied into the original 4" Rose Creek line.

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER NEV,11-HAWT,4A-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

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