2024-11-29 -- Hoover Dam

Colorado River(1) is a major river in the southwestern United States, flowing through several states including Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California.

Over millions of years, the powerful Colorado River carved a steep-sided canyon, the Grand Canyon, one of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders on Earth. Grand Canyon is approximately 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and attains a depth of over a mile.

The Colorado River is one of the most heavily developed river systems in the world. It runs from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California, draining parts of 7 US states and two Mexican states.

There are over major 100 dams on the Colorado River and its tributaries, 15 dams on the main stem of the river, about 45 major dams on larger tributaries, and hundreds of smaller dams on the thousands of smaller tributaries. (2)

There are two significant dams built on the Colorado River. Glen Canyon Dam(3), entirely in Arizona, creates Lake Powel. Hoover Dam(4), located on Arizona-Nevada border, creates Lake Mead. Both dams are considered remarkable feats of engineering and architecture due to their size, complexity, and the challenges overcome during their construction. They have had a significant impact on the region, providing hydroelectric power, water for irrigation, and flood control.

Glen Canyon Dam is bigger than Hoover Dam, Although they look very similar. Hoover Dam is 726ft (221m) tall and 1244ft (379m) wide, Glen Canyon Dam is 710ft (216m) tall and 1560ft (475m) wide.

What makes the Hoover Dam particularly interesting is that its construction began in 1930 and was completed in 1935. The dam's turbines started generating electricity in 1937. In contrast, construction of the Glen Canyon Dam began in 1960, was completed in 1963, and started generating electricity in 1966. In both cases, it took over two years for the reservoirs to fill to the necessary level for optimal electricity production. The Hoover Dam began generating electricity three decades earlier than the Glen Canyon Dam.

The Hoover Dam was constructed to address several pressing needs: flood control, water storage, and electricity generation. However, its timing was largely influenced by the Great Depression. Similar to the Golden Gate Bridge, the dam was initiated as a means to create jobs and stimulate the economy by consuming products and driving manufacturing.

A whole city was built to house the workers, and many new construction technologies were invented. One of the most significant innovations was the cooling of concrete, a process that continues to this day, as the dam slowly cools and its concrete continues to crystallize and strengthen. Sadly, over 100 people lost their lives during construction.

As was common at the time, the design incorporates many Art Deco elements. It's an eye-catching, monumental structure. However, its massive size is only truly apparent when viewed from within or upon it. From a distance, its sheer scale can be misleading, as the human brain struggles to comprehend its majestic proportions.