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Hoover Dam
Building the Dam

Viewing this magnificent, massive man-made structure creates a respect for man's accomplishments. The strong desire to harness nature's power drove the human mind and body to build a dam in the hottest, driest area of the United States. People wanting to irrigate low lying plains, known as low desert areas, without suffering from flooding and the battle over water made it obvious to the United States government that the Colorado River was part of the solution. Hence the Hoover Dam, named after the United States 31st president, was built. (Above is an aerial view of the Hoover Dam. Below is the making of the tunnel bulkhead.)

Hoover Dam Statistics:

726.4 feet high (221m)
1,244 feet wide (379 m)
660 feet (203 m) thick at the base
45 feet (13 m) thick at the top
$165 million dollars to build
4.5 years to build
4.4 million yards of concrete used for construction
April 2, 1931 building began
September 30, 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the completed dam

Powerhouse:

17 generators
4+ billion kilowatt hours produced each year
10 acres of floor space

Power used by:

56% California
25% Nevada
19% Arizona

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