▁East side ▁B yp ass ▁ends ▁just ▁up stream ▁of ▁the ▁Mer ced ▁River ▁confl u ence , ▁where ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁le vee ▁system ▁is ▁better ▁designed . ▁However , ▁the ▁le ve es ▁on ▁the ▁by pass ▁channel ▁are ▁generally ▁more ▁well - built ▁than ▁those ▁on ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁main st em ▁and ▁thus ▁the ▁channel ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁runs ▁dry ▁in ▁some ▁places ▁where ▁the ▁entire ▁flow ▁has ▁been ▁di vert ed ▁to ▁the ▁by pass ▁system . ▁ ▁Pro posed ▁d ams ▁Although ▁fairly ▁large ▁with ▁a ▁capacity ▁of ▁, ▁Mill erton ▁Lake , ▁the ▁res er voir ▁of ▁Fri ant ▁Dam , ▁is ▁small ▁compared ▁to ▁other ▁res er voir s ▁in ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁bas in , ▁such ▁as ▁Don ▁Pedro ▁and ▁P ine ▁Fl at . ▁The ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Rec lam ation ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁the ▁California ▁Department ▁of ▁Water ▁Resources ▁has ▁proposed ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁dam ▁on ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in , ▁Tem per ance ▁Fl at ▁Dam , ▁a ▁few ▁miles ▁up stream ▁of ▁Fri ant . ▁The ▁proposed ▁$ 1 . 2 - 3 . 5 ▁billion ▁dam ▁would ▁stand ▁ ▁high ▁and ▁create ▁a ▁res er voir ▁of ▁, ▁well ▁over ▁twice ▁the ▁capacity ▁of ▁Mill erton ▁Lake . ▁Pro ponents ▁of ▁the ▁project ▁c ite ▁numerous ▁benefits : ▁flo od ▁control , ▁increased ▁storage , ▁hydro elect ric ▁potential , ▁and ▁capacity ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁greater ▁flow