Water Garden

In 1967, the State Capitol Committee hired California landscape architect Lawrence Halprin to design a plan for the East Capitol Campus. Halprin and his associates felt that a large-scale water fountain or pool (approximately 80 square feet) was needed to break up the expanse of the plaza.

Planning and approval

As described in a 1969 planning report, “the future ornamental pool is conceived as a carefully designed series of poured-in-place sculptural concrete forms over which water would flow in a variety of ways terminating in pools and basins of varying depth. The pool would present a series of sculptural shapes varying in height from below to above eye level with the sound and presence of cascading water being the dominant feature.”

Before approval was given for the ornamental pool, it faced strong challenges from the State Capitol Committee. Lieutenant Governor John Cherberg had concerns about the water garden’s cost (approximately $250,000) and likelihood of attracting "hippies" who might bathe or loiter there. Despite these hesitations, the committee approved the project on November 13, 1969. The details of funding and design took a few more years, and the water garden was finally completed in 1972.

Shut-off

This soothing water feature drew visitors and state employees alike until the late 1980s. It was then discovered that the water garden was losing about 70 gallons of water every 8 hours, and maintenance workers were unable to find the exact location of the drainage. The roots of surrounding trees were also beginning to crack the foundation. Unfortunately, because of these factors, the water garden was permanently shut off and drained.