original_query: What was the purpose of building the Bitter Point Dam in 1920?
query: What was the purpose of building the Bitter Point Dam in 1920?
answer: The Bitter Point Dam, built in 1920, diverted the Santa Ana River away from Newport Bay and onto its current course to the ocean at Huntington Beach to create Newport Harbor.  The river's silt made boating difficult in the bay, so dredging was necessary, leading to the dam's construction to redirect the river's flow.