Hoover Dam – Arizona and Nevada, United States
What is It: In the midst of the Great Depression, President Herbert Hoover boldly authorized the U.S. Department of Interior to proceed with a massive construction project on the Colorado River at a location on the border of the states of Arizona and Nevada that was in the middle of nowhere at the time. The construction contractors completed a huge concrete dam by 1936 that stretches 1244 feet across the Black Canyon and looms 726 feet high above the river. The dam created a state-of-the-art hydroelectric power plant, increased the water supply for the entire southwestern United States, reduced flooding and impounded one of the biggest artificial lakes in the world. Originally called the Boulder Dam and now known as the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, the structure became a major tourist attraction visited by approximately 7 million people each year.
From an engineering perspective, the project was an incredible accomplishment and was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World. It operates by diverting water from the reservoir behind the dam into intake towers, and then drops the water more than 500 feet through pipes to the base of the dam where it turns turbines and generators to produce power. The 4 billion kilowatt-hours produced by the dam provide electricity for southern California and the City of Los Angeles, as well as Las Vegas, Nevada, and Arizona.
The traditional way to visit the dam is to start at the modern visitors center where there are narrated exhibits which provide complete background information on the history of the dam, the marvels of its construction, and the way it operates. The center includes several observation decks that offer a 360-degree view of the dam, the Colorado River and Lake Mead. Tours are also available which allow guests to take elevators to see the top of the dam, some of the large generators, the penstocks, and the construction tunnels.
Another alternative for outdoor enthusiasts is to hike or bike to the dam along the railbed of the special railroad that was built to ferry equipment and workers to the construction site in the canyon before the tracks were removed in 1962. The mostly flat route begins near a trailhead parking lot located just past the Lake Mead Visitor Center which is reached by taking Business 93 to Lakeshore Road. It then proceeds for 3.7 miles of desert terrain to the Hoover Dam Visitors’ Center. Along the way, you get some excellent views of the deep blue waters of Lake Mead and pass through five 25-foot diameter tunnels. After refreshing yourself at the center’s café, you can then take a tour or walk across the top of the dam yourself.
Interesting Facts: Thousands of tradesmen and laborers worked on the dam and an estimated 100 workers perished during construction. A consortium group known as Six Companies Inc., which included Bechtel Corporation, won the contract to build the dam for approximately $50 million which would be close to a billion dollars today, and finished it two years ahead of schedule.
When to Go: The temperature at the dam during the day can be hot year-round but particularly from May to September when it can exceed 100 degrees. While the visitors center and a few viewing areas are air conditioned, it is important to come prepared and pace yourself during those months. From October to April, the weather is generally quite comfortable ranging from a high of 58 degrees to 79 degrees. Precipitation is slight throughout the year.
How to Get There: For many decades, the main highway to the area went right over the crest of the dam, but now Interstate 11 crosses the canyon a few miles away. Visitors can reach the dam by getting off at Exit 2 and following the Hoover Dam Access Road. Located only 45 minutes from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, the site provides an excellent half day trip for visitors coming to the area from Arizona or staying in Las Vegas.
Cost: The basic admission price is $10 per person and there are several tour packages available for up to $30 per person.