Harnessing the Mighty Colorado
Hoover Dam, once known as "Boulder Dam", is named for President Herbert Hoover, who served during the time of the dam's construction. Generators at the dam provide electricity for a wide area of the Southwest, including Southern California, Nevada and Arizona. It dams the Colorado River in the Black Canyon, about 25 miles from Las Vegas, Nevada. As the Colorado River runs roughly on the border between Nevada and Arizona, it's possible to stand near the center of the dam, with one foot in each of the two states.
Over 100 workers died during construction, from 1931 to 1935. Harsh working conditions and the desert heat led to much labor strife; and, the dam's construction caused great environmental losses downriver. But the dam today, visited by over one million tourists yearly, stands as an engineering marvel.
The backwater of the dam forms Lake Mead as seen in the picture. Taken from the new bypass bridge for US Route 93, which opened in 2010.
Harnessing the Mighty Colorado
Hoover Dam, once known as "Boulder Dam", is named for President Herbert Hoover, who served during the time of the dam's construction. Generators at the dam provide electricity for a wide area of the Southwest, including Southern California, Nevada and Arizona. It dams the Colorado River in the Black Canyon, about 25 miles from Las Vegas, Nevada. As the Colorado River runs roughly on the border between Nevada and Arizona, it's possible to stand near the center of the dam, with one foot in each of the two states.
Over 100 workers died during construction, from 1931 to 1935. Harsh working conditions and the desert heat led to much labor strife; and, the dam's construction caused great environmental losses downriver. But the dam today, visited by over one million tourists yearly, stands as an engineering marvel.
The backwater of the dam forms Lake Mead as seen in the picture. Taken from the new bypass bridge for US Route 93, which opened in 2010.