When the Great Western Power Company was ready to build a dam at Big Meadows, to flood it and create Lake Almanor, they ran into a few problems. The first site they chose, it turned out to be on property they did not own and was quickly abandoned. In April 1912, construction began on a multiple arch dam. When the construction crew struck an impervious layer of clay that allowed for a subsurface seepage of water. It was decided later on down the road, that condition could affect the dam’s stability. In April 1913, a new site was chosen, and would be gravity fill instead of multiple arch. In addition, it was decided to build seventy-two foot high dam. The reduction in height meant the new reservoir would only be half the capacity. In 1925, the dam was rasied by forty-five feet. In 1962, the dam was raised a final time by sixteen feet.