William Mulholland On the witness stand at a coroner's inquest following the collapse of the St. Francis Dam near Los Angeles in 1928, Irish American civil engineer William Mulholland took full responsibility for the disaster. (more) William Mulholland American civil engineer Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Mulholland Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Mulholland Written by Brian Duignan Brian Duignan is a senior editor at Encyclopædia Britannica. His subject areas include philosophy, law, social science, politics, political theory, and religion. Brian Duignan Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep 23, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Quick Facts Born: September 11, 1855, Belfast, Ireland [now in Northern Ireland] (Show more) Died: July 22, 1935, Los Angeles, California, U.S. (aged 79) (Show more) Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question (born September 11, 1855, Belfast, Ireland [now in Northern Ireland]—died July 22, 1935, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) William Mulholland was a self-trained Irish-born American civil engineer who is best known for having created an effective means of supplying water to the semi-arid city of Los Angeles. He designed and supervised the construction (1904–13) of the Owens River–Los Angeles Aqueduct (now known as the Los Angeles Aqueduct), which diverted the Owens River in eastern California to transport fresh water from the slopes of the Sierra Nevada, southeast of Yosemite National Park, across the Mojave Desert and onto a spillway in the ...(100 of 829 words)

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