10The US Bureau Of Reclamation’s Auburn Dam, USA
This dam project on the well-known American River near the Auburn in California was considered by some to be “ill-conceived” and all too quickly became the center of some controversy. First proposed back in the 1950s, construction did not actually begin until 1968. Unfortunately, once work had begun, a seismic fault was discovered underneath the future dam site.
The dam, as designed, would not be able to survive a major earthquake. Thus, construction came to a stop. A new and improved design was proposed in 1980 and the work resumed. By 1989, the dam project was abandoned due to skyrocketing costs and an environmental impact assessment. A total of $400 million had been spent. Other attempts were made to revive the dam project but the dam has yet to be built. The more recent attempts up the price tag to a current total of $431 million.
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