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The Hoover Dam in Nevada

Hoover Dam is one of the highest dams in the world, and at the same time a powerful hydroelectric power station. Tourists and residents come here to see the incredible scale of construction, go boating, swim and go fishing.

The history of the construction of the Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam — Las Vegas Attractions — American ButlerAt the beginning of the 20th century, the US Bureau of Land Reclamation developed a plan to build a massive dam on the border between Arizona and Nevada. The main goal is to tame the Colorado River and provide water and hydropower to the Southwest.

Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover mediated the 1922 Colorado River Agreement to distribute water across the seven states proportionally. In honor of the contribution of the new president who has already entered into the presidency, Home Secretary Ray Wilbur announced at the opening ceremony in 1930 that the building would be called the Hoover Dam, although this name only became official in 1947. Before it was the name Boulder Dam (Boulder Dam).

The first difficult stage of the construction was the processing of the walls of the canyon in order to create four water intake tunnels. Faced with tight deadlines, workers labored in tunnels, inhaling carbon monoxide and dust, which led to a six-day strike in August 1931.

The second problematic step was to clear the retaining walls. Workers used 44-pound jackhammers and metal poles to dump bulk material — an insidious task that led to casualties from the fall of workers, equipment, and stones.

Meanwhile, the dried up river bed allowed the construction of a power station, four water towers and the barrier itself. The stations received a futuristic touch with Art Deco styling, and its interior was designed to pay tribute to Native American culture.

5 million barrels of cement and 45 million pounds of reinforcing steel were invested in Hoover Dam. In total, about 20 thousand workers contributed to the construction.

In 1985, the design was proclaimed a national historic landmark, and in 1994 — one of the seven wonders of modern industrial architecture in America. About 7 million people visit it annually.

Hoover Dam — photo of support towers on the dam — American Butler

What is unique about Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam is used as a flood control in the lower reaches of the Colorado River. Storage and delivery of river water from Lake Mead is also an integral part of the use of the barrier, as it provides reliable water supply for irrigation in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

In addition, the dam provides low-cost hydropower to the states of Nevada, Arizona and California. It produces more than four billion kilowatt-hours per year and is one of the largest hydropower facilities in the United States.

Revenues from the sale of electricity cover all operating and maintenance costs.

The building is also one of the main tourist destinations in Nevada, as it is located just 48 kilometers from Las Vegas and runs along the highway. This is really a very interesting and fascinating place that adults and children like for their scale, size and coverage. This must be seen — this will take away the culture and history of the United States from a new perspective.

Hoover Dam in Nevada — photo of the statue of the worker — American ButlerHoover Dam — interesting facts

  • Hoover Dam was the most expensive engineering project in US history. At the time of its construction, it took $49 million. Adjusted for inflation, it would now cost 700 million.
  • The dam rises 726 feet and has a width of 1200 feet on the ridge. The base is 660 feet thick, and it took 91.8 billion cubic meters of concrete to create a retaining wall weighing about 6.6 million tons.
  • The power plant was commissioned on September 12, 1936. Today it has 17 turbines that can produce about four billion kilowatts of electricity per year. This is enough to provide more than a million people living in the southwestern United States.
  • The dam is reflected in several films. The most notable event was the appearance in Alfred Hitchcock's film Sabotage, in which the dam is a potential target for terrorists. Reclamation Bureau officials require that in such films Hoover Dam not be shown in such a way that it poses a potential danger to humans.
  • This is one of the unique places in the world.
Additional Information
Address Nevada 89005
Telephone +1-702-494-2517
Mode of operation Daily: 09:00 am – 05:00 pm.
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  • 4.Payment history
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