BGuthrie Photos: NV -- Lake Mead NRA -- Hoover Dam -- Interior Displays

NV -- Lake Mead NRA -- Hoover Dam -- Interior Displays:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. HOOVDI_160712_013.JPG: Colorado River at Lees Ferry, AZ -- Natural Flow
2. HOOVDI_160712_016.JPG: Why Was Hoover Dam Built? The Colorado River is both friend and foe. It has the power to sustain life and ruin lives, to create opportunity and destroy prosperity.
3. HOOVDI_160712_023.JPG: A Parched and Desolate Land: American Indians and Spanish explorers occupied the Southwest long before westward expansion brought settlers to the region. These early inhabitants lived with the Colorado River's cycles of flood and drought. Dr. Oliver M. Wozencraft went to California in the gold rush of 1849. He soon realized that irrigating the Southwest could also bring wealth. Wozencraft was unable to obtain financial and government support for his dream of diverting Colorado River water to California's fertile Salton Sink.
4. HOOVDI_160712_030.JPG: Exploring the River: America's westward expansion increased interest in the Colorado River as a transportation route for people and supplies. The federal government began exploring the Colorado River to assess its suitability for commercial navigation. In 1857, Lieutenant J.C. Ives failed in his attempt to navigate the river by steamboat. Able only to reach lower Black Canyon, Ives returned on foot, calling the region "profitless." Major John Wesley Powell made the first recorded trips through the Grand Canyon in 1869 and 1871. Powell proclaimed the settlement potential of the Southwest to be extremely limited unless dams and canals were built to store and divert water. After Powell's ventures, the government abandoned its explorations of the Colorado River. In 1892, a private company, the California Development Company, was established to construct a canal from Yuma, Arizona, through Mexico, to the Salton Sink.
5. HOOVDI_160712_034.JPG: Lieutenant J.C. Ives failed to navigate the Colorado River in the steamboat Explorer.
6. HOOVDI_160712_036.JPG: John Wesley Powell John Wesley Powell's boat with armchair
7. HOOVDI_160712_044.JPG: Valley of Dreams: With the canal built, water and homesteaders flowed into the newly named Imperial Valley. There seemed no end to the opportunity and bounty of the irrigated desert. Agriculture and settlement flourished, and by 1904, the population of the Imperial Valley had grown to 8,000. As water flowed and crops flourished, Imperial Valley farmers were "delicious with prosperity." The success and profitability of the Imperial Valley revitalized federal government interest in the region. In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Reclamation Act, which created the United States Reclamation Service (now the Bureau of Reclamation). The government increased its commitment to finding ways to control and use the Colorado and other western rivers.
8. HOOVDI_160712_045.JPG: President Theodore Roosevelt
9. HOOVDI_160712_048.JPG: The desert was converted, or "reclaimed" into productive cropland
10. HOOVDI_160712_050.JPG: To Build or Not To Build
11. HOOVDI_160712_054.JPG: For the Common Good: The Colorado River's cycles of flood and drought prompted discussion and disagreement. Amazingly, diverse interests came together to build a dam greater than any ever built. Farmers, ranchers, and business owners implored the federal government to protect them. Many Westerners bristled at the idea of the government interfering in their lives. Others felt that only the federal government could provide the funding, planning, and engineering necessary to tame the river. Failing to grasp the severity of the problem, and not seeing the benefit to the nation in building a dam, many Eastern political leaders felt that federal funds should not be used on a "Western problem."
12. HOOVDI_160712_060.JPG: It's a shame what's happening to those folks out West, but I don't think it's the government's problem.
13. HOOVDI_160712_061.JPG: Building a dam on that river is foolhardy, but I should would welcome the challenge.
14. HOOVDI_160712_063.JPG: We farmers need to control our own water so we can control our own lives
15. HOOVDI_160712_065.JPG: Water's more valuable than gold out here. We need the government to manage it fair and square.
16. HOOVDI_160712_071.JPG: Dreams Turn to Nightmares: Control the Colorado River and sustaining prosperity in the Imperial Valley was an ongoing battle against nature and the Colorado River. In 1905, torrential spring rains caused the Colorado River to flood. The swollen river broke through the canal headworks near Yuma, Arizona, and for two years flooded the Imperial Valley, forming the Salton Sea Crops, homes and lives were destroyed. It took the Southern Pacific Railroad (which now owned the canal) two years and $3 million to stop the flow of water into the Salton Sea. But the Imperial Valley and other low-lying areas were still vulnerable. In 1916, Gila River floodwaters poured into the Colorado River, scouring a path of destruction through the Yuma Valley. Cries for a dam to control the Colorado intensified. Weary from battling floods and droughts, farmers, businessmen, and politicians implored the federal government to control the Colorado River. In 1920, Colorado authorized a comprehensive investigation of Imperial Valley problems.
17. HOOVDI_160712_073.JPG: Floods, alternating with periods of drought, took their toll on the land and the people.
18. HOOVDI_160712_075.JPG: The flood of 1916 inundated parts of Yuma, Arizona
19. HOOVDI_160712_076.JPG: The unpredictable Colorado River impacted the land and the lives of those who settled the Southwest desert.
20. HOOVDI_160712_077.JPG: Doing the Unthinkable: In order for the Imperial Valley to survive, the mighty Colorado River would have to be tamed, a feat that seemed impossible at the time. In 1922, Arthur P. Davis, Reclamation Service director and chief engineer, proposed controlling the Colorado with a dam of unprecedented size in Boulder Canyon. To finance construction, Davis suggested selling the electricity generated by the dam. Damming the Colorado required the approval of Congress and the states along the river. In 1922, Secretary of Commerce (and future president) Herbert Hoover negotiated an agreement that allocated river water to the Upper and Lower Colorado River Basins. This agreement, the basis of the future Colorado River Compact, was signed by all Basin states except Arizona. In 1923, a bill was introduced in Congress to dam the Colorado River and divert water to California. The bill failed three times before it was passed in 1928 and signed by President Coolidge. The federal government would now build the world's largest dam (Hoover Dam). The Imperial Dam and All-American Canal would also be built to divert water to the Imperial Valley. In 1929, six of the seven Colorado River Basin states signed the Colorado River Compact (Arizona signed in 1944). On June 25, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed the final proclamation authorizing the construction project, the largest government contract ever awarded to that time.
21. HOOVDI_160712_084.JPG: Herbert Dam is named after Herbert Hoover (above) Secretary of Commerce (1921-1928) and President (1929-1933).
22. HOOVDI_160712_085.JPG: (left to right) Reclamation Commissioner Elwood Mead, Congressman Phil Swing, President Calvin Coolidge, Senator Hiram Johnson, Congressman Addison T. Smith, and W.B. Matthew of Los Angeles, at the signing of the bill that authorized the construction of Hoover Dam, the Imperial Dam, and the All-American Canal.
23. HOOVDI_160712_090.JPG: One in a Million: You are one of the nearly 1.3 million people who took a guided tour of Hoover Dam this year. Visitors come from all 50 states and many foreign countries. Since 1937, over 40 million people have taken guided tours at the dam, and countless more have visited this marvel of engineering and the human spirit. Even before the dam was completed, visitors crowded canyon overlooks, captivated by the heroics of high scalers and the enormity of the construction project. Visitors can view the dam's powerful generators by taking the guided tour, a popular activity since the 1930s.
24. HOOVDI_160712_125.JPG: The Bronze Turbine: The panels on this pedestal depict aspects of Hoover Dam and the three states it serves. Artist Lauri Slenning designed them to represent the blades of a turbine. Modeled after the original art found on the outside of the dam's elevators, the sculptures show the benefits of Hoover Dam power and water. The names of the dam's customers ring the pedestal on which the panels stand.
25. HOOVDI_160712_131.JPG: Behind the Canyon Walls: There is far more to Hoover Dam than meets the eye. An extensive network of tunnels, pipes and structures lies behind the canyon walls. Over seven miles of 50 ' diameter tunnels were dug during Hoover Dam construction. The tunnels alone are so enormous that excavating and lining them with concrete took as much time and cost as constructing the dam itself. Spillways protect the dam by diverting flood water around the dam. They have only been used twice, in 1941 during testing and in the 1983 flood. Excavating and lining these steep tunnels with concrete was extremely difficult, especially when tunnel temperatures reached 120 degrees. Three miles of steel penstocks (pipes) ranging from 30-8 1/2 feet in diameter carry water from Lake Mead to the turbines that power the generators.
26. HOOVDI_160712_138.JPG: Securing the Dam: Hoover Dam has always been protected because of its enormous economic and symbolic importance to the nation. High atop the opposite canyon wall, a stone bunker affords an eagle's eye view of the dam and highway. From this perch, U.S. Army sharpshooters stood sentry during World War II. At the beginning of World War II, tours were stopped and visitors could only cross the dam under military escort. The security measures in effect today at the dam are merely a continuation of a long and successful history of securing the dam and protecting its visitors. While much of the dam's inner workings were closed to the public after September 11, 2001, visitors can still marvel at the dam's powerful generators on tours conducted by Hoover Dam guides.
27. HOOVDI_160712_147.JPG: Desert Playground: Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in the United States, exists in one of the harshest deserts on earth. Lake Mead contains enough water to cover the state of Pennsylvania in water one foot deep. The lake's size and numerous side canyons create 550 miles of shoreline. Because the lake fills a canyon rather than a bowl or basin, it is far deeper than many lakes. Lake Mead's average depth is 225 feet but its maximum depth is 500 feet. Lake Huron averages 195 feet deep but is 750 feet deep at its maximum. Lake Mead is the centerpiece of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Over 9 million people visit and recreate at Lake Mead NRA each year.
28. HOOVDI_160712_153.JPG: A Stylish Dam: Hoover Dam is much more than one of the world's great engineering feats. It is also a showcase of 1930s artistry. Art Deco stylings and artistic flourishes are evident inside and outside the dam. None are more renowned than the Winged Figures of the Republic. Each Winged Figure stands 30 feet tall and contains more than four tons of bronze. The figures and their granite bases were set on blocks of ice and guided into place as the ice melted. The Winged Figures and the terrazzo plaza were designed by Oskar Hansen. The plaza contains a chart of the night sky on September 30, 1935, the day Hoover Dam was dedicated. Oskar Hansen also designed the relief sculptures on the dam's elevator towers. Hansen is just one of several architects, designers, and artists who gave Hoover Dam its style. Look for their artistry as you tour the area.
29. HOOVDI_160712_157.JPG: The Winged Figures and the terrazzo plaza were designed by Oskar Hansen. The plaza contains a chart of the night sky on September 30, 1935, the day Hoover Dam was dedicated.
30. HOOVDI_160712_160.JPG: Each Winged Figure stands 30 feet tall and contains more than four tons of bronze. The figures and their granite bases were set on blocks of ice and guided into place as the ice melted.
31. HOOVDI_160712_162.JPG: Oskar Hansen also designed the relief sculptures on the dam's elevator towers. Hansen is just one of several architects, designers, and artists who gave Hoover Dam its style. Look for their artistry as you tour the area.
32. HOOVDI_160712_170.JPG: Concrete: The Critical Ingredient: Building Hoover Dam required more concrete than was used in all the dams built by the Bureau of Reclamation prior to 1931. Two plants, the Low Mix and High Mix, produced this concrete. The High Mix Plant was located where the parking garage sits today. The High and Low Mix plants stored cement, sand, gravel, and cobbles in large silos. The materials were blended with water under controlled conditions to yield the concrete used throughout the project. The concrete was moved to the job site using trains, trucks, and large buckets suspended from cables. When the dam reached 484 feet high, the Low Mix Plant shut down and all the concrete for the upper portion of the dam came from the High Mix Plant. Most of the Low Mix plant was moved down river to build Parker Dam, but its foundation still lies at the bottom of Lake Mead.
33. HOOVDI_160712_176.JPG: Gateway to the Turbines: Water from Lake Mead enters the intake towers and is carried by penstocks (pipes) to the turbines which spin the generator and create electricity. Each tower stands 395 feet tall and was constructed on a perch blasted into the canyon wall -- an engineering feat unrivaled for years. Tapering from 82 feet in diameter at the base to 63 feet at the top, each tower contains over 15 million pounds of steel. Two gates in each tower control water flow to the penstocks. These 32-foot diameter gates take in water from deep below the lake's surface, reducing the chance of drawing in fish and debris.
34. HOOVDI_160712_178.JPG: Each tower stands 395 feet tall and was constructed on a perch blasted into the canyon wall -- an engineering feat unrivaled for years.
35. HOOVDI_160712_180.JPG: Tapering from 82 feet in diameter at the base to 63 feet at the top, each tower contains over 15 million pounds of steel.
36. HOOVDI_160712_183.JPG: Two gates in each tower control water flow to the penstocks. These 32-foot diameter gates take in water from deep below the lake's surface, reducing the chance of drawing in fish and debris.
37. HOOVDI_160712_194.JPG: Hoover Dam Did you know? 1932: Herbert Hoover made his first, and only visit to the dam. September 9: Federal rangers were first stationed at the new location of the west gate of the Federal Reservation. 1933: Did you known the Babcock and Wilcox Co. used and X-ray machine on site for exploring welded seams in the penstock pipe? A total of 220,240 feet of film were used. 1934: The head landscaper for Boulder City Where the Hoover Dam workers lived, was Mr. W. W. Weed. July 20: The peak of employment was reached, employees listed on government and contractors payrolls numbered 5,251. September 17-19: The first Hollywood production film was made. A group from RKO Studios, Hollywood, California, made photographic sequences on the project for the film "The Silver Streak." 1935: April 4: The first car officially crossed the dam. Those making the trip were Construction Engineer Walker R. Young, General Superintendent Frank T. Crowe of Six Companies, Inc., and Messrs. Walter Bracken and James Cashman of Las Vegas. 1936: September 11: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, at the close of his address to the members of the Third World Power Conference, pressed a golden button key which started the first generator to go into operation in the powerhouse. The Nevada station service unit, one of the two 3,000-kva units to supply power to the dam and appurtenant structures, was started. 1937: March 17: Electrical energy was transmitted to Las Vegas from the Boulder Power Plant for the first time. April 1: The policy of charging 25 cents per person 16 years or over to visit the powerplant was started. 1938: June: St. Thomas, Nevada was covered by rising waters of Lake Mead. 1946: April 15: Did you know a house was moved across Hoover Dam? 1947: April 30: President Truman signed a law changing the name of Boulder Dam back to Hoover Dam. 1985: Celebration of Hoover Dam's 50th anniversary. 1996: May 2: A 505' x 255' American flag was flown from the dam in honor of the Olympic Torch relay crossing. 2010: Celebration of Hoover Dam's 75th anniversary.
38. HOOVDI_160712_197.JPG: 1932: Herbert Hoover made his first, and only visit to the dam. September 9: Federal rangers were first stationed at the new location of the west gate of the Federal Reservation. 1933: Did you known the Babcock and Wilcox Co. used and X-ray machine on site for exploring welded seams in the penstock pipe? A total of 220,240 feet of film were used. 1934: The head landscaper for Boulder City Where the Hoover Dam workers lived, was Mr. W. W. Weed. July 20: The peak of employment was reached, employees listed on government and contractors payrolls numbered 5,251. September 17-19: The first Hollywood production film was made. A group from RKO Studios, Hollywood, California, made photographic sequences on the project for the film "The Silver Streak."
39. HOOVDI_160712_200.JPG: 1935: April 4: The first car officially crossed the dam. Those making the trip were Construction Engineer Walker R. Young, General Superintendent Frank T. Crowe of Six Companies, Inc., and Messrs. Walter Bracken and James Cashman of Las Vegas. 1936: September 11: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, at the close of his address to the members of the Third World Power Conference, pressed a golden button key which started the first generator to go into operation in the powerhouse. The Nevada station service unit, one of the two 3,000-kva units to supply power to the dam and appurtenant structures, was started. 1937: March 17: Electrical energy was transmitted to Las Vegas from the Boulder Power Plant for the first time. April 1: The policy of charging 25 cents per person 16 years or over to visit the powerplant was started. 1938: June: St. Thomas, Nevada was covered by rising waters of Lake Mead.
40. HOOVDI_160712_203.JPG: 1938: June: St. Thomas, Nevada was covered by rising waters of Lake Mead. 1946: April 15: Did you know a house was moved across Hoover Dam? 1947: April 30: President Truman signed a law changing the name of Boulder Dam back to Hoover Dam. 1985: Celebration of Hoover Dam's 50th anniversary. 1996: May 2: A 505' x 255' American flag was flown from the dam in honor of the Olympic Torch relay crossing.
41. HOOVDI_160712_205.JPG: 1996: May 2: A 505' x 255' American flag was flown from the dam in honor of the Olympic Torch relay crossing. 2010: Celebration of Hoover Dam's 75th anniversary.
42. HOOVDI_160712_232.JPG: High, Wide, and Heavy: Because of its size, technology, and the monumental effort it took to build, Hoover Dam has been named one of the Top Ten Construction Achievements of the 20th Century, one of the Seven Civil Engineering Wonders of the Modern World, and a Civil Engineering Monument of the Millennium. How does Hoover Dam hold back Lake Mead? The weight of the dam anchors it to the canyon floor, while the pressure of the lake pushes the dam against the canyon walls. The top of the dam stretches for 1,244 feet across the Black Canyon. The dam is 660 feet thick at its base, wide enough for back-to-back football fields. Hoover Dam weighs 6.6 million tons. There is enough concrete in the dam to build a 3-inch thick, 4-foot wide sidewalk around the earth at the equator. Standing 726 feet tall, Hoover Dam is the tallest solid concrete dam in the western hemisphere.
43. HOOVDI_160712_242.JPG: The View from On High: You are now enjoying a high-scaler's view of the Hoover Dam area. (1) Powerhouse: Each wing of the powerhouse is 650 feet long and 20 feet tall. Half of this height is below the river level. The Nevada wing contains eight generators; the Arizona wing has nine. (2) Tail Bay: After rushing through a turbine to generate electricity, water is discharged out the bottom of the turbine to the tail bay and back into the river. (3) Valve Houses: Valve houses, which are approximately 180 feet above the river, contain valves that drain the penstocks during maintenance. They also serve as safety outlets in case the spillways cannot fully handle a flood. (4) Stoney Gates: Some penstocks release water into a tunnel at river level. To perform maintenance in the tunnel, the Stoney gate is lowered to block the river from flowing into the tunnel, then the tunnel is pumped dry.
44. HOOVDI_160712_246.JPG: Shock Prevention: The power lines above you carry electricity (230,000 volts) from the Hoover Dam power plant to a nearby substation, for distribution throughout the southwest. Insulators... prevent electricity from shorting into the tower and the ground. Insulators are specifically designed for the voltage in the transmission line and for the type of structure to which the line is attached. You can calculate the approximate voltage in a line by multiplying the number of segments in the insulator times 14,000.
45. HOOVDI_160712_255.JPG: New Century, New Challenges: Traffic congestion created the need for a bridge to bypass the road across the top of the dam. The Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which opened on October 19, 2010, meets that need. The halogen flood lights used for night work on the Memorial Bridge were a far cry from the lights used in the 1930s. Hoover Dam workers lit their jobsite with homemade flood lights made from dishpans. Enjoying the view from the Memorial Bridge Walkway is one of the highlights of the Hoover Dam experience for many visitors. Like Hoover Dam, the Memorial Bridge is one of the outstanding engineering and construction achievements of its time. It is the largest steel-and-concrete composite bridge in the Western Hemisphere. The pavement of U.S. Highway 93 is 890 feet (271 meters) above the river. The project took ten years to design and build. It cost $240 million.
46. HOOVDI_160712_264.JPG: From Hoover to Home: Like trains on a track or water in a hose, electricity needs a path to travel. For electricity generated here, that path is the thousands of miles of power lines, the electric grid, that transmit electricity to the American southwest. A total of 2,700 miles of transmission line connects the dam with Southern California, a distance of only 250 miles! Electricity created by Hoover Dam generators passes through a Step-up Transformer, increasing its voltage from 15,500 volts to 230,000 volts (high voltage transmits more efficiently). The transformers are the silver boxes on the outside of the powerhouse. After the voltage is increased, the electricity enters the transmission grid for distribution to Nevada, Arizona, and southern California. Substations along the way route the electricity and reduce its voltage (through Step-down Transformers) as the electricity gets closer to it[s] final destination. Before being used in a house, the voltage must be reduced to 240 volts. Step-down transformers in your neighborhood probably look like a gray canister mounted on a power pole, or a green box near the sidewalk.
47. HOOVDI_160712_273.JPG: How Was Hoover Dam Built? Men and machines clogged the narrow canyon. Noise and activity were constant and danger was everywhere. A great, concrete mass began to rise from the dust and commotion.
48. HOOVDI_160712_280.JPG: Diverting the Mighty Colorado: To build the dam, the Colorado River had to be rerouted, a task many thought impossible in such a steep, narrow canyon. To divert the river, four tunnels, each 3,500 to 4,300 feet long, were drilled and blasted through the canyon walls. Constructing the tunnels took almost as much time and money as constructing the dam itself. To speed the work, the "drilling jumbo," a mobile, double-decker drilling rig, was invented. The jumbo allowed up to 30 miners to simultaneously drill the canyon wall. Competition between drilling crews was fierce. The record for the greatest distance tunneled in an eight-hour shift was 46 feet. Miners drilled holes for dynamite into the canyon wall. After the blast, scalers removed loose rock from the walls and muckers removed the fallen rubble (muck). The construction contract prohibited dumping muck in the river, so some was taken for disposal sites in the desert, and some was used to build roads and railroad beds. Each tunnel measured 56 feet in diameter before being lined with 3 feet of concrete resulting in a final funnel diameter of 50 feet. Over 400,000 cubic yards (nearly 600,000 tons) of concrete was used to line the tunnels. Heat, accidents, carbon monoxide, flooding, electrocution, and other hazards made tunneling one of the most dangerous jobs at the dam site. Despite the hazards and difficulties, all four diversion tunnels were completed in 19 months, almost 2 years ahead of schedule.
49. HOOVDI_160712_282.JPG: The drilling jumbo was just one of the many innovations developed during the construction of Hoover Dam.
50. HOOVDI_160712_286.JPG: Workers dwarfed by a diversion tunnel, still damp from a flood that set work back one week. February, 1932.
51. HOOVDI_160712_289.JPG: From Riverbed to Construction Site: Once the Colorado was diverted, nearly one mile of riverbed had to be kept dry and safe from the river, especially during spring flooding. Protecting the Site: Upriver, a massive cofferdam (earthen dam) protected the construction dam and forced the Colorado into the four diversion tunnel. The upriver cofferdam face was layered with 3 feet of rock, then covered with 6 inches of concrete reinforced with over 4 miles of steel bars. Downriver, a rock barrier and an earthen cofferdam protected the site from backwash of water exiting the diversion tunnels. Reaching Solid Footing: The dam could not be built on the unstable riverbed. Mud, silt, sand, and rock up to 135-feet deep were excavated, exposing the bedrock that would support the dam.
52. HOOVDI_160712_296.JPG: Powder Cans Safety Belt
53. HOOVDI_160712_302.JPG: Working the Puddle: Listen in as workers prepare to receive a concrete bucket from the aerial cableway. Can you understand their construction lingo? The Puddle -- The area containing fresh concrete Greenhorn -- A new worker, a rookie The Glory Hole -- The dam site Puddlers -- Workers who spread and vibrated fresh concrete Candy Wagon -- A light-weight truck Banjoes and Crutches -- Ordinary and long-handled shovels Easy-dough -- Boss or foreman Drilling Jumbo -- A mobile, double-decker drilling rig for 30 miners Skip -- a railed, wooden platform used to transport workers Goldbricking -- Not working hard
54. HOOVDI_160712_306.JPG: Where to Hold Back the Water: The Long Search: After passage of the Reclamation Act of 1902, the governors began searching for the best place to build a dam to control the Colorado River. The 22-year search would find the ideal site for the dam and create lingering confusion about this dam's name. Making the Cut: Eight potential dam sites were assessed on: -- The geology and topography of the canyon and underlying bedrock, -- The capacity of the future reservoir (Lake Mead) to store water and silt. -- The distance to train service. -- The distance to southern California, which needed the water and power. (Power sales would pay for the dam.) After careful analysis, six sites were eliminated, leaving only Boulder Canyon and Black Canyon in the running. Black Canyon Gets the Dam: Why was Black Canyon chosen to be the site of the dam? -- There was less riverbed to remove to reach bedrock. -- The bedrock was less fractured and more stable. -- It would be easier to tunnel through the rock at Black Canyon than Boulder Canyon -- Black Canyon was narrower so less concrete would be needed -- A good source of sand and gravel for the concrete was found 6 miles away. -- The reservoir (Lake Mead) would be larger -- As remote as it was, Black Canyon was easier to reach than Boulder Canyon. Because early government reports focused on sites in Boulder Canyon, the project was called the Boulder Canyon Project. But Hoover Dam sites firmly in Black Canyon.
55. HOOVDI_160712_312.JPG: Reclamation Commissioner Elwood Mead and Chief Engineer Raymond Walter search for a dam site in Black Canyon. September, 1930.
56. HOOVDI_160712_320.JPG: Who Would Build Such a Dam? The Reclamation Service (now the Bureau of Reclamation) knew that selecting the right company to build the dam was critical. But the project was simply too enormous and complex for a single company to tackle. A group of companies formed a partnership for the purpose of building Hoover Dam. Called Six Companies, Inc., they were awarded the contract to work with Reclamation to build the dam. They had $48,890,955 and 7 years to get it done. The companies: -- Utah Construction Company -- Railroad construction, tunneling, dam construction -- Morrison-Knuden Company -- Railroad and dam construction -- J.F. Shea Company -- Tunnels and underground work -- Pacific Bridge Company -- Underwater construction -- McDonald and Kahn -- Concrete buildings, industrial plants, and skyscrapers -- Bechtel-Kaiser-Warren Brothers -- Road and railroad construction Others that helped Reclamation and Six Companies included: -- Union Pacific Railroad laid track from Bracken, Nevada, through Boulder City, to the rim of Black Canyon -- The state of Nevada built a highway between Las Vegas and Boulder City -- Nevada-California Power Company and Southern Sierra Power Company ran power lines from San Bernadino, California -- Southern Nevada Telephone Company connected Black Canyon with Boulder City, Las Vegas, and beyond
57. HOOVDI_160712_322.JPG: Survey Triangle and Satchel
58. HOOVDI_160712_332.JPG: Before the First Bucket: Constructing the dam was such a monumental task that few engineers thought it could be done. There was much to do, even before the first bucket of concrete for the dam could be poured. Hoover Dam was built in a remote desert, initially, the only way to get there was via the unpredictable Colorado River. A transportation network was needed to get men, equipment and supplies to and around the site. Roads, railroad beds, and tunnels were blasted and graded throughout the area. A rail line from Bracken, Nevada to Boulder City, and a highway to Las Vegas were built. 30 miles of track were laid just to operate the gravel pit, aggregate plant, and cement plants. Miles of poles and lines for telephones and power were erected across the desert.
59. HOOVDI_160712_335.JPG: Railroad grades and roads were constructed by men, mules and machines. October, 1930.
60. HOOVDI_160712_336.JPG: Highway in the Sky: Before concrete could be poured, the world's most extensive aerial cableway system had to be built. Ten cableways transported items wherever they were needed. Cables carried buckets filled with concrete, and lifted heavy equipment into and out of the canyon. Some workers were even transported by cable. The largest diameter cables (3-1/2 inches) could carry 150 tons (19 schoolbuses!). Depending on the load, these cables could raise an object 120 feet per minute, and move it across the canyon twice that fast. The largest cableway is till in use, making it the largest, highest, and oldest operating cableway system in the world. Communication between the cableway operators and signalmen was critical. The operators, perched in shacks on the canyon rim, often could not see where they were delivering their load. Signalmen on the canyon floor directed the operator with arm signals or electric bells.
61. HOOVDI_160712_339.JPG: The five main cables were anchored to 90-foot towers that moved up and down the canyon on railroad tracks. April, 1935.
62. HOOVDI_160712_343.JPG: Cableway control tower. April, 1934.
63. HOOVDI_160712_348.JPG: Overhead Cableway Section During construction, ten cableways stretched across the canyon. The 3-1/2 inch diameter cable seen here could carry 150 tons.
64. HOOVDI_160712_351.JPG: Concrete Sample: First Pour: This concrete sample was part of the first pour at the dam, which occurred on June 6, 1933.
65. HOOVDI_160712_355.JPG: Engineer's Tilting Dumpy Level: Levels, mounted on tripods, are used to draw level surfaces and to gauge the difference in elevation between two or more points.
66. HOOVDI_160712_358.JPG: A Dam of Sand and Stone: Aggregate, the sand and stone that goes into concrete, makes up 75% of Hoover Dam's mass. Aggregate was also needed for the powerplant, spillways and tunnels. Aggregate came from river rocks and gravel deposit 6 miles from the dam site. Rail cars brought aggregate to the screening and wasting plant, where it was washed and separated by size. The aggregate was then hauled by trains to two concrete mixing plants. The Boulder Canyon Project required more concrete than was used in all Reclamation projects prior to 1931 combined. To assure success, two concrete plants and the world's largest and most sophisticated concrete production system were built here. The plants produced enough aggregate to fill a train stretching from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas... 1,300 miles!
67. HOOVDI_160712_362.JPG: The screening and washing plant only stockpiled materials for 14 hours of operation, so trains ran constantly between the plant and the gravel deposit. February, 1932.
68. HOOVDI_160712_365.JPG: By the time the aggregate plant stopped operating, it had processed 4.5 million cubic yards of aggregate. November, 1934.
69. HOOVDI_160712_370.JPG: Housing the Workers: At peak operations, over 5,000 men worked on Hoover Dam. They and their families needing housing. Having no place to live, many early workers and their families simply set up camp in the desert. Dormitories at the Six Companies River Camp housed 480 single men, but this was not enough. The Hoover Dam construction contract required that 80% of the workforce be housed in Boulder City, which had to built in the desert. It took over one year to transform barren desert to a city of 5,000 people. At the height of dam construction, Boulder City had the largest population of any Nevada city (over 7,000). Schools, churches, recreational facilities, and other amenities created a sense of community absent in many company towns.
70. HOOVDI_160712_374.JPG: The most notorious worker camp was Ragtown, where nearly 1,400 people sweltered amid unsanitary conditions. Six Companies River Camp dormitory, 1931.
71. HOOVDI_160712_375.JPG: Sometimes growing by 100 cottages per month, Boulder City quickly sprang up in the desert. April, 1932.
72. HOOVDI_160712_377.JPG: Roads, water, and city services had to be provided in the desert. December, 1931.
73. HOOVDI_160712_382.JPG: High Scalers: High scalers had one of the most dramatic and dangerous jobs. Suspended from the canyon rim, they used jackhammers and dynamite to remove loose rock from the canyon walls. This prepared the walls to receive concrete and reduced the threat of rock falls in the future, when men would be working on the canyon floor. For high scalers, "they hired anyone who didn't have brains enough to be scared. You was 900 feet up in the air. It took a lot of guts." -- Jake Dieleman, worker
74. HOOVDI_160712_388.JPG: Puddlers, Muckers, and Nippers: In total, over 16,000 men worked on Hoover Dam, with over 5,000 men employed at the peak of construction. Who Did What? These are just some of the specialized jobs held by workers. Blacksmith -- Maintain drill bits, tools, and metal items -- Hourly wage 62.5 to 75 cents Carpenters -- Carpentry, from rough to final work -- .62.5 to 75 cents Cement Finisher -- Smooth and finish concrete -- 62.5 Chuck Tender -- Assistant to drillers on the drilling jumbo -- 62.5 Cooks -- Prepare 6,000 meals per day -- 50 Flunky -- Mess hall waiter -- 50 High Scaler -- Remove rock from canyon walls -- 70 Jackhammer Man -- Operate jackhammer -- 62.5 Mechanic -- Repair and maintain vehicles and equipment -- 75 Miner -- Drill and blast rocks, especially in tunnels -- 70 Mucker -- Remove rock debris after blasting -- 50 Nipper -- Supply drilling crews with fresh drills, powder, and water -- 62.5 Powder Monkey -- Insert primers in dynamite sticks, place and detonate dynamite -- 70 Puddler -- Spread and vibrate fresh concrete pours -- 50 Rigger -- Maintain and repair cables, pulleys, and the cableway -- 62.5 to 75 Safety Miner -- Assure tunnels are safe for crews to enter after blasting -- 87.5 to $1.00 Shovel Operator -- Operate electric shovels and steam shovels -- $1.25 Steel Sharpener -- Sharpen tools -- 75 Welder -- Various metal welding duties - 62.5 to 75
75. HOOVDI_160712_397.JPG: Building With Blocks: Enormous Hoover Dam, the largest concrete dam in the western hemisphere, was built as a series of stacked, interlocking, concrete blocks. Each of the dam's concrete blocks measures approximately 50 feet x 60 feet x 5 feet deep, and contains over 1,100 tons of concrete. At the height of construction, the aerial cableway delivered 16 tons of concrete every 90 seconds. Pipes carrying cold water were placed in the forms, and concrete was poured around them. These pipes cooled the concrete evenly, preventing cracking. Water from the Colorado River went through a specially built refrigeration plant before being used in the pipes.
76. HOOVDI_160712_400.JPG: Workers called puddlers tripped a latch at the bottom of the bucket, releasing 8 cubic yards (16 tons) of concrete into the block form. September, 1933.
77. HOOVDI_160712_402.JPG: Hoover Dam Innovations: Building Hoover Dam was a task of unprecedented scale, complexity, and cost. Numerous construction innovations advanced the science of dam building. -- The three-story drilling jumbo was invented, allowing 30 miners to drill simultaneously. -- The dam was poured in individual, interlocking blocks rather than as a solid mass. -- Cold water carried in pipes was used to cool the curing concrete. -- The aerial cableway system was the largest, most complex every built. -- The dam's concrete plants were the world's most sophisticated. -- Hardhats were provided to workers. -- The dam was paid for by selling the power it generated.
78. HOOVDI_160712_405.JPG: Hoover Dam Innovations: Building Hoover Dam was a task of unprecedented scale, complexity, and cost. Numerous construction innovations advanced the science of dam building. -- The three-story drilling jumbo was invented, allowing 30 miners to drill simultaneously. -- The dam was poured in individual, interlocking blocks rather than as a solid mass. -- Cold water carried in pipes was used to cool the curing concrete. -- The aerial cableway system was the largest, most complex every built. -- The dam's concrete plants were the world's most sophisticated. -- Hardhats were provided to workers. -- The dam was paid for by selling the power it generated.
79. HOOVDI_160712_406.JPG: Death Is So Permanent: Throughout the job site, billboards reminded workers that "Death Is So Permanent." Despite the warnings, 96 people died during construction. Contrary to popular myth, none are buried in the dam. -- Pipefitter died in dam rock slide -- Pete Savoff, 44, powder man plunged to instant death this morning when he fell off the edge of the cliff -- G.D. Isaac, rigger,... met almost instant death by electrocution -- Fred Deckmann, 20... plunged to his death last night while working on one of the huge pipes being fabricated at the plant. -- Samuel J. Carter... met death... when he slipped in front of a work train. -- W.A. Jameson, 58, was... swept to his death... when a form gave way sending a shower of freshly placed concrete pouring down... -- Dam worker crushed to death under scores of tons of muck. -- Notice: A falling jumbo yesterday crushed every spark of life from the body of Victor K. Auchard, 25 The exact number of deaths depends on who's doing the counting. Workers drowned, died in falls, were crushed by falling rock and concrete, and perished in other ways. The actual obituary notices seen here document the dangers and the heartache. Records list pneumonia as the leading cause of non-industrial accident death. To avoid paying insurance benefits, many deaths were attributed to pneumonia rather than the actual cause (such as carbon monoxide poisoning in the tunnels). A bronze plaque near the Winged Figures of the Republic pays tribute to those who died so that "millions might see a brighter day."
80. HOOVDI_160712_416.JPG: The Finished Dam: Height: 726 feet Length: 1,244 feet Thickness at top: 45 feet Thickness at Base: 660 feet Concrete Used: 3.25 million cubic yards Weight: 6.6 million tons
81. HOOVDI_160712_419.JPG: A Hoover Dam Timeline: May, 1869: John Wesley Powell makes the first documented trip down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon. April, 1902: The Reclamation Service (now the Bureau of Reclamation) begins investigating ways to control the Colorado River. March, 1905: The Colorado River floods, forming a 150-square mile inland sea in California's Imperial Valley.
82. HOOVDI_160712_421.JPG: February, 1922: The Reclamation Service recommends constructing a dam on the Colorado River in the vicinity of Boulder Canyon. December, 1928: The Boulder Canyon Project Act, which authorized building the dam, is approved by Congress and signed by President Calvin Coolidge. March, 1931: Six Companies, Inc. is awarded the contract to build the dam and powerplant.
83. HOOVDI_160712_425.JPG: November, 1932: The diversion tunnels are completed and the Colorado River is diverted around the dam site. June, 1933: The first concrete is poured at the dam site. February, 1935: Lake Mead begins to fill behind the nearly completed dam.
84. HOOVDI_160712_428.JPG: May, 1935: The last concrete is poured at the dam site. September, 1935: President Franklin D. Roosevelt speaks at the dedication of the dam. March, 1936: All work on the dam and powerhouse is completed. The project was completed almost 26 months ahead of schedule.
85. HOOVDI_160712_430.JPG: October, 1936: Electricity generated at the Hoover Dam powerhouse is transmitted to southern California. April, 1947: Congress and President Harry Truman reaffirm that the name of dam on the mighty Colorado River is "Hoover Dam," not "Boulder Dam."
86. HOOVDI_160712_437.JPG: A Dam Takes Shape: Hoover Dam was so large that it could not be poured as a single mass of concrete. To assure the concrete would harden properly, it was built as a series of blocks. Each concrete block added another five feet of height to the dam. In order to assure the integrity of the dam, no more than 7 blocks (35 feet of height) could be added to a column in a 30 day period. As concrete hardens (cures), it gives off heat. There is so much concrete in Hoover Dam that if it had been poured as a single mass, it would have taken 125 years to cure. Cold water from the Colorado River and a refrigeration plant was used to cool the concrete, allowing it to cure quickly and evenly.
87. HOOVDI_160712_440.JPG: Each block of concrete took 72 hours to cool and harden. January, 1934.
88. HOOVDI_160712_442.JPG: The refrigeration plant could have produced 1,000 tons of ice every day. Instead, it produced cold water to cool the dam. Refrigeration plant, October, 1933.
89. HOOVDI_160712_444.JPG: The Construction Site: The Hoover Dam construction site filled the bed of the Colorado River, and spread over canyon and desert. Roads, railroad lines, and the world's most advanced cableway system were among the features that had to be built at the dam site.
90. HOOVDI_160712_449.JPG: Hoover Dam Designations * One of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World (American Society of Civil Engineers) * A Monument of the Millennium (American Society of Civil Engineers) * One of the Top Ten Construction Achievements of the 20th Century (Construction Industry Manufacturers Association and International Concrete and Aggregates Group) * National Historic Landmark (United States Department of the Interior) * National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark (American Society of Civil Engineering) * One of the America's Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders (American Society of Civil Engineers)
91. HOOVDI_160712_453.JPG: How Does it Work? Generating electricity combines humanity's knowledge, creativity, and ingenuity with nature's power, majesty, and wonder.
92. HOOVDI_160712_460.JPG: Realizing the Potential Is electricity created or is it just converted from another form of energy? * The potential energy of the water stored in Lake Mead is converted to kinetic energy as it rushes through the penstocks. * The kinetic energy of the moving water is converted to mechanical energy when the water turns the generator turbines. * The mechanical energy of the turbine rotates a magnetic field inside the generator, producing electrical energy.
93. HOOVDI_160712_492.JPG: Built to Last: This model was built in 1946 from this design drawing. The model was refurbished in 2004.
94. HOOVDI_160712_498.JPG: Walk Inside: This generator model depicts just one of the 17 generators int he Hoover Dam powerplant. Step inside the scale model and discover how a Hoover Dam generator produces electricity. You can view the Nevada wing generators (right) on the guided Generator Tour.
95. HOOVDI_160712_503.JPG: Overhead and Underfoot
96. HOOVDI_160712_513.JPG: What's a Watt? Water is measured in gallons. Bananas are measured in pounds. Electricity is measured in watts. Term -- Number of Watts -- # of 100 Watt Lightbulbs Powered One -- 1 Watt -- 0 Thousand = Kilo -- 1 kilowatt = 1,000 watts -- 10 Million = Mega -- 1 megawatt = 1,000,000 watts -- 10,000 (ten thousand) Billion = Giga -- 1 gigawatt = 1,000,000,000 watts -- 10,000,000 (ten million) Trillion = Tera -- 1 terawatt = 1,000,000,000,000 watts -- 10,000,000,000 (ten billion) One Hoover Dam generator can produce 130 megawatts of electricity simultaneously. The Hoover Dam powerplant can produce over 2 gigawatts of electricity instantaneously.
97. HOOVDI_160712_516.JPG: A Powerful Past: Did you realize that the simple act of turning on a light is the result of centuries of research and experimentation? 600 BC: Thales, a Greek philosopher and astronomer, studied static electricity by rubbing amber (fossilized tree resin) with a cloth and noting that if attracted feathers, cork, and other light objects. 1600: William Gilbert, English scientist and physician to Queen Elizabeth I, coined the word electric (from elektron, the Greek word for amber). He also demonstrated that electricity could be generated, and that numerous materials, not just amber, could be electrified. 1729: Stephen Gray, an amateur scientist, determined that metals were generally good conductors of electricity. He also experimented with transmitting electricity over short distances. 1746: Andreas Cuneus was the first to store electricity. His storage device, the Leyden jar, stored electricity and released it all at once in one charge. 1800: Alessandro Volta discovered that electricity was generated by the interaction of metals and acids. This led him to invent a device that stored and released electricity in a controlled flow, or current -- the first battery.
98. HOOVDI_160712_518.JPG: A Powerful Past: Did you realize that the simple act of turning on a light is the result of centuries of research and experimentation? 600 BC: Thales, a Greek philosopher and astronomer, studied static electricity by rubbing amber (fossilized tree resin) with a cloth and noting that if attracted feathers, cork, and other light objects. 1600: William Gilbert, English scientist and physician to Queen Elizabeth I, coined the word electric (from elektron, the Greek word for amber). He also demonstrated that electricity could be generated, and that numerous materials, not just amber, could be electrified.ed flow, or current -- the first battery.
99. HOOVDI_160712_520.JPG: 1729: Stephen Gray, an amateur scientist, determined that metals were generally good conductors of electricity. He also experimented with transmitting electricity over short distances. 1746: Andreas Cuneus was the first to store electricity. His storage device, the Leyden jar, stored electricity and released it all at once in one charge.
100. HOOVDI_160712_522.JPG: 1800: Alessandro Volta discovered that electricity was generated by the interaction of metals and acids. This led him to invent a device that stored and released electricity in a controlled flow, or current -- the first battery. 1819: Danish scientist Hans Christian Oersted discovered the relationship between electricity and magnetism, leading to the invention of electromagnets.
101. HOOVDI_160712_525.JPG: 1831: Michael Faraday invented the first generator. Generators, like those in the Hoover Dam powerplant, convert mechanical energy to electrical energy. 1879: Thomas A. Edison perfects the first long-lasting, incandescent light bulb.
102. HOOVDI_160712_528.JPG: 1883: Nikola Tesla developed the first alternating current (AC) generator, the basis of the generators at Hoover Dam. 1896: Nikola Tesla installed the country's first hydroelectric power generators at the Niagara Falls powerplant, generating electricity for New York City.
103. HOOVDI_160712_530.JPG: Go With the Flow: Electricity is simply a stream of electrons. Electricity flows through a wire when electrons move from one metal atom to another.
104. HOOVDI_160712_541.JPG: Water Drives It All: The demand for water, not electricity, drives the operation of Hoover Dam. Dam operators work around the clock to release the water and produce the electricity needed by cities, irrigation districts, and other users. Water is not released to produce electricity, electricity is produced as a side benefit of meeting the demand for water. Hoover Dam, Parker Dam, and Davis Dam are all managed from the Hoover Dam powerplant.
105. HOOVDI_160712_547.JPG: Now as Then: Operating Hoover Dam has changed little since the 1930s. While computers have made an impact, a dam operator's job remains relatively unchanged: distribute water when it is needed and use that water to generate electricity. The desk before you is one of two desks used in the original Control Room at Hoover Dam. The photograph of the desk shows the Control Room in the 1940s.
106. HOOVDI_160712_575.JPG: Step Down for Safety: A step-down transformer lowers the voltage and increases the amperage of electricity so that it is safe to use. Higher voltage electricity enters the step-down transformer through the primary coil, the voltage is decreased as it leaves the transformer. A transformer near your home lowers the electrical voltage to 220 volts. Some household appliances, like your water heater, stove, and air conditioner, run on 220 volts. Other appliances, like your TV, computer, and hair dryer run on 110 volts.
107. HOOVDI_160712_583.JPG: Hoover to Home Getting Power is Where It's Needed The Power Grid: The network of transmission lines and substations that transmit electricity is known as "the grid." The grid extends across state boundaries so that the power system across the continental United States is linked. Switchyards: Switchyards are power distribution centers where electricity is routed across the grid. Voltage levels are altered for efficient transmission. Switchyards may contain step-up or step-down transformers. Dispatch Centers: Dispatch centers receive information from all over the grid and use it to monitor and control power transmission. A More Secure Grid: A blackout is a temporary loss of electricity because of a failure in its generation or transmission. This failure can be due to equipment failure, human error, lightning, natural disasters, and other causes. A blackout in 1965 -- referred to as "The Big One" -- darkened seven American states and parts of Canada. The design and operation of the nation's power grid changed after this event. Today's grid is better connected (networked) and able to handle disruptions in power generation and distribution.
108. HOOVDI_160712_592.JPG: High Volts Will Travel: A step-up transformer increases the voltage and decreases the amperage of electricity. High voltage, low amperage electricity travels more effectively over long distances, therefore, the voltage of electricity coming from a powerplant is stepped-up prior to transmission across the power grid. Low voltage, high amperage electricity enters the step-up transformer through the primary coil, magnetizing the iron core. Since the secondary coil has more coils (wraps) than the primary coil, the voltage is increased. Powerplant electricity of 16,500 volts can be stepped up as high as 700,000 volts to travel many hundreds of miles.
AAA "Gem": AAA considers this location to be a "must see" point of interest. To see pictures of other areas that AAA considers to be Gems, click here.
Bigger photos? To save server space, the full-sized versions of these images have either not been loaded to the server or have been removed from the server. (Only some pages are loaded with full-sized images and those usually get removed after three months.) I still have them though. If you want me to email them to you, please send an email to guthrie.bruce@gmail.com and I can email them to you, or, depending on the number of images, just repost the page again will the full-sized images.
Connection Not Secure messages? Those warnings you get from your browser about this site not having secure connections worry some people. This means this site does not have SSL installed (the link is http:, not https:). That's bad if you're entering credit card numbers, passwords, or other personal information. But this site doesn't collect any personal information so SSL is not necessary. Life's good!
Photo Contact: [Email Bruce Guthrie].