Watch: Historic Seismic Transformation Begins On Lafayette Reservoir Tower

LAMORINDA, CA — Crews have begun dismantling the top 40 feet of the iconic Lafayette Reservoir outlet tower, launching a seismic retrofit project that will permanently alter one of the East Bay's best-known landmarks.

Workers on Friday used a crane mounted on a floating barge to lift away sections from the top of the nearly century-old structure, which has stood over the reservoir since 1929.

The work marks the start of a project expected to continue through October 2026.

While the work follows a debate over the civic value of the tower, safety is the driving force behind the retrofit.

EBMUD said the tower serves as the reservoir's spillway and is connected to the dam's only drain system. According to the utility, the tower was built 40 feet taller than necessary after the dam's planned height changed during construction in 1929.

Following California's 2017 Oroville Dam crisis, the state's Division of Safety of Dams strengthened dam safety requirements.

EBMUD said seismic studies found the Lafayette tower could bend and break during a major earthquake, damaging both the tower and the conduits at its base.

Such a failure could prevent operators from safely releasing water from the reservoir and lead to uncontrolled flooding in Lafayette, Walnut Creek, and downstream communities.

"The higher, the taller it is, with age and deterioration, there's more risk that it could crack or break," Christopher Tritto, an EBMUD spokesperson, told CBS News.

State flood maps show a potential dam failure could inundate portions of Lafayette and Walnut Creek, including a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade school, the Lafayette Police Department, and the Lafayette BART station, according to CBS.

"That's never happened, and we want to make sure it never happens," Tritto told CBS News.

The project has generated years of public debate because of the tower's prominence in the community.

Although the structure is not officially designated as a historic landmark, a seismic retrofit study update prepared for the City of Lafayette described the approximately 96-year-old tower and its surrounding landscape as an important regional, cultural, and civic resource deserving careful design and construction.

The report said the tower has symbolized Lafayette for decades and argued its civic value warrants significant consideration despite lacking formal historic designation.

In response to community concerns, EBMUD preserved elements of the original structure, including a historic window dating to the late 1920s.

The utility also released renderings showing what the shortened tower will look like after construction is complete.

Visitors at the reservoir expressed mixed emotions as the work began.

"It's kind of sad to see the change, but from a practical, seismic standpoint, I think it probably needed to be done," Glen Pineda told CBS News during a visit to the reservoir.

His husband, Juan Pineda, joked about the visible change."They took the cap off," he told CBS News.

For generations, the tower has served as a visual centerpiece for runners, walkers, cyclists, and photographers circling the Lafayette Reservoir.

By the end of October, the familiar silhouette will stand 40 feet shorter, reflecting a balance between preserving a local landmark and meeting modern dam safety standards.

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