Twin Peaks Location – Water Processing Plant on Black Lake

Water Processing Plant at night

While undercover at One Eyed Jack’s in Episode 1.007, Special Agent Dale Cooper hires bartender Jacques Renault for a job. He tells Jacques to meet him in two hours at the Water Processing Plant on Black Lake. In reality, the plant is located in Burbank, California.

WHERE IS THE WATER PROCESSING PLANT ON BLACK LAKE LOCATED?

Google Maps
Google Maps

Located at 164 W. Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank, California, this location is home to Burbank Water and Power. At the time the episode was shot in spring 1990, the company was known as the Public Service Department. They changed their name in 2001. This is the only episode in Twin Peaks to feature this location.

Google Maps
Google Maps

Here’s a breakdown where certain scenes took place courtesy of Google Earth. Let’s take a closer look.

Water Processing Plant at Night
Episode 1.007

The scene opens with an establishing shot of the Water Processing Plant.

Google Earth
Google Earth

Here’s a look at the same location courtesy of Google Earth.

Water Processing Plant at night
Episode 1.007

There’s a closer establishing shot of the water processing plant just before Jacques Renault’s car enters the scene.

Google Earth
Google Earth

Another look at the location courtesy of Google Earth. You’ll notice something is missing from the location.

Google Earth
Google Earth circa 2006

This is an aerial view from Google Earth of the Burbank plant. Pay attention to the center of the image.

Google Earth
Google Earth circa 2007

Sometime in 2007, part of the the plant was renovated which mean the some of the buildings seen in Episode 1007 were demolished. You can see a construction crane removing part of the facility in the image above.

Google Earth
Google Earth, circa 2008

By 2008, the episode buildings are gone. Luckily, some of the other buildings at the location didn’t change which helped identify where scenes took place.

Sheriff Truman and Deputy Andy discuss inside the Sheriff's vehicle
Episode 1.007

The episode offered a rare backseat view of the inside of Sheriff Truman’s police vehicle. Out the window, you can see some of the plant.

Google Maps
Google Maps

Sadly, Google Maps Street View doesn’t offer the best look at the spot. I had to rely on Google Earth to find some of the matching locations.

Sheriff Truman's vehicle
Episode 1.007
Sheriff Truman's vehicle with lights on
Episode 1.007

Sheriff Truman’s vehicle was parked near the outside wall seen in the Street View image.

Google Earth
Google Earth

Google Earth offered this view of the same area.

Sheriff's Vehicle with lights on
Episode 1.007
Sheriff's Vehicle with lights on
Episode 1.007
Sheriff's Vehicle with lights on
Episode 1.007

Additional shots of this location are used in the scene, especially when Truman approaches Jacques’ car.

Water Processing Plant at night
Episode 1.007

The script drafted by Mark Frost describes this scene

Jacques car, a beat-up El Camino, glides in to the plant. He comes to a stop at a stop sign.

The road around him instantly fills up with cop cars. Hawk’s van pulls in behind him. Troopers’ cars take up positions on either side and Truman’s cruiser skids to a stop at an angle in front of Jacques, cutting him off.

Officers quickly take up positions behind their doors, weapons and spotlights trained on Jacques’ car from all sides. Behind the wheel, Jacques raises his hands.

Jacques car at Water Treatment Plant
Episode 1.007
Jacques car at Water Treatment Plant
Episode 1.007

Jacques arrives to the meeting spot in a 1982 Chevrolet El Camino.

Aerial view of police cars surrounding Jacques Renault
Episode 1.007

Sheriff Truman and his officers surround Jacques who tries to escape by getting back into his car.

Google Maps
Google Maps

Here’s the aerial view from Google Maps of the same spot.

Sheriff Truman aiming his gun through car window
Episode1.007
Sheriff Truman aiming his gun through car window
Episode 1.007

Sheriff Truman arrives on the scene and tells Jacques he is under arrest for the  murder of Laura Palmer and the attempted murder of Leo Johnson.

Sheriff Truman and Deputy Andy
Episode 1.007
Deputy Andy and Sheriff Truman
Episode 1.007
Google Earth
Google Earth

You can see part of the cooling unit at the Burbank plant site courtesy of Google Earth.

Sheriff Truman, Jacques Renault and a Deputy
Episode 1.007
Jacques Renault
Episode 1.007
Jacques Renault hitting a deputy
Episode 1.007
Jacques Renault being shot
Episode 1.007

After Truman announces his arrest and walks away, Jacques grabs Deputy Fred’s gun and attempts to shoot Harry.

Deputy Andy Brennan holding a gun with Sheriff Truman standing nearby
Episode 1.007
Deputy Andy Brennan holding a gun
Episode 1.007

Deputy Andy Brennan suddenly has become the sharpest shooter on the police force. I mean it was only a handful of days before this scene when Andy looked like this.

Deputy Andy Brennan at the shooting range
Episode 1.004

In Episode 1.004, Andy visits the shooting range inside the Sheriff’s Department. Incredible how confident he becomes by this episode.

Deputy Hawk, Big Ed, a deputy and Jacques Renault
Episode 1.007

By the time Jacques is shot, Deputy Hawk and Big Ed have arrived in their surveillance van that was outside One Eyed Jack’s. Of note, the license plate for the police car is Washington – 32780D.

Google Earth
Google Earth

Google Earth offered this view of the same location in Burbank, California.

Like so many other film location, I give credit to InTwinPeaks.com which first wrote about this spot. You can see the page originally found on the now closed website below.

InTwinPeaks

Author

  • Steven Miller at Twede's Cafe enjoying cherry pie and coffee

    A "Twin Peaks" fan since October 1993, Steven Miller launched Twin Peaks Blog in February 2018 to document his decades-long fascination with David Lynch and Mark Frost's wonderful and strange show. With his Canon camera in hand, he's visited numerous film locations, attended Twin Peaks events and conducted extensive historical research about this groundbreaking series. Along with fellow Bookhouse Boys, he dreams of creating a complete Twin Peaks Archive of the series and feature film. Steven currently resides in Central Florida.

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