The Hoover Dam: Fast Facts. The dam, the bridge, and Lake Mead are worthy tourist sites. "The Greatest Dam in the World": Building Hoover Dam relates to the following National Standards for History: Era 8: The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945). The wellspring of Lake Mead created by the dams blocking of the Colorado River has plummeted to a historic low as states in the west face hefty cuts in their water supplies. A heat dome that settled over the usually mild Pacific north-west pushed temperatures to reach a record 108F (42.2C) in Seattle and caused power lines to melt and roads to buckle in Portland. Work on the dam began sooner than originally planned. 3) To explain the steps in the construction process and their dangers. The Hoover Dam Police, officially the Bureau of Reclamation Police, was a federal security police force, stationed at Hoover Dam 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Las Vegas.Reclamation Police Officers were stationed only at Hoover Dam. 3) Two documents, a "Short Course in Engineering" and selections from President Roosevelt's speech at the dedication of Hoover Dam in 1935; "Cars are searched on a random basis or if there is a reasonable suspicion," he said. Ask the students to identify as many places as they can that have those characteristics. It was one of the most ambitious projects of the early 20th century, requiring millions of cubic feet of concrete and tens. Gunderson: We have installed vehicle checkpoints; one on the Nevada side, and one on the Arizona side. At the other end of the tunnels build another cofferdam to keep the water from backing up, pump the puddles out from between, and there you have ita dry spot in the river, with the stream running right around it, through the tunnels. It is awesome! Trace the course of the Colorado River. No dreams of relocating to live in a tamed desert. Drill holes connecting them with two of the tunnels constructed in Lesson 4. Look at Illustration 1. How large is 1 cubic yard? Hoover Dam was both listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985. State laws prohibited using them in enclosed spaces like tunnels for health and safety reasons, but Six Companies used the jumbos anyway. Assorted steam shovels, etc.you'll have to move about 6 million cubic yards of rock and dirt, digging tunnels and whittling out the canyon walls to make room for the dam. Ask students to investigate how the places supplied by Hoover Dam have grown since 1935. Know That Visiting The Hoover Dam Is Free The Hoover Dam is free to visit. Humans have always been good at moving water around but right now everyone will need to do what it takes to prevent the system from crashing.. 5. Then, we walked up the bridge to see the dam. Hoover Dam, formerly called Boulder Dam, dam in Black Canyon on the Colorado River, at the Arizona-Nevada border, U.S. Which are in the Upper Basin and which are in the Lower Basin? Standard J - observes and speculates about social and economic effects of environmental changes and crises resulting from phenomena such as floods, storms, and drought. In March 1931, Reclamation awarded the contract to build the dam to Six Companies, Inc. Six Companies was a group of some of the largest construction companies in the country. I promise I'll get into more details in this travel guide. Nearly 40 million people, including dozens of tribes, depend on the rivers water. Everything looks small. He spends two days each week at the Hoover in meetings to discuss how to improve security functions. Sitting on the border between Nevada and Arizona, Hoover Dam is over 700 feet tall and its base is as thick as two football fields. 2. Which group's contributions do you think he valued the most? These new projects would also control floods, supply water to growing cities, and generate electricity to fuel industrial growth in a new West. But the dam also had an entirely unexpected result, one that began while it was still under construction. One of the definitions of "penstock" is a pipe or conduit that carries water from a reservoir to electrical generating equipment. The public feels . Herbert Hoover, now president, wanted to start work on the dam earlier, probably as a way to ease high unemployment. Visitors with prohibited items will be turned away at the Nevada Security Checkpoint. 2. Engineers, digging for bedrock on which to build, had to excavate so far beneath the bed of the Colorado River that 73 percent of Parker Dam's 320-foot . However, it took six more years before Congress passed the Boulder Canyon Project Act. The permit allows them to show up. We all want the nice weather but we need those good storms to build everything back up, he said. The decline of Lake Mead is apparent even at a cursory glance. Connect them with pipes. Research by Williams and colleagues last year analyzed tree rings to discover the current dry period is rivaled only by a spell in the late 1500s in a history of drought that reaches back to around 800, with the climate crisis doubling the severity of the modern-day drought. 1 Private businesses may have built some of the dams, power plants, or other such facilities, but they do not fit the definition of "public works" given here. They transported supplies to the dam site. What makes you think so? Standard D - The student explains the need for laws and policies to govern scientific and technological applications, such as in the safety and well-being of workers and consumers and the regulation of utilities, radio, and television. In a whole class discussion, compare and contrast the ancient and modern wonders. by ; June 22, 2022 Which states are they? It was the highest dam in the world when it was completed in 1935. In 1938, a New York publisher put out an illustrated cartoon guide for tourists visiting Hoover Dam, then known as Boulder Dam. Should second tier cuts occur, Arizona will lose nearly a fifth of the water it gets from the Colorado River. The materials listed below can be used directly on the computer or printed out, photocopied, and distributed to students. 3. Hoover Dam, located where the Colorado River forms the boundary between the states of Nevada and Arizona, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. Cement5 million barrels. What were they? They may be surprised at how old and how impressive some of these structures are. 2 Do you think the safety equipment would have kept the men from falling? Most had to travel many miles, at the end through a hostile desert, to reach this location on the border between Nevada and Arizona. Then divide the class into small groups. Ask each group to report back to the class. Finally, ask the students to consider what effect building a new dam might have on these problems. The amount of water in the lake, when full, could cover the whole state of Connecticut ten feet deep. It supplies water and power to Los Angeles and other rapidly growing cities in the Southwest. How do these dates relate to the growth statistics the students have collected? The Story of Hoover Dam Film Why do you think Six Companies disregarded the state law? How many gallons of water are in an acre-foot? 2. Bureau of Reclamation. Standard 2AThe student demonstrates understanding of the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal. Activity 2: "Seven Wonders of the United States" Many newspapers and magazines featured descriptions and images of the "high scalers." The goal was to encourage the growth of small family farms. We were waved by. The bridge was completed in 2010 and there are many descriptions about the building of the bridge so its good for any kids with an architecture and/or civil engineering interest. Private vehicles are allowed to cross after the vehicle is inspected. What might people "miss" about these canyons if they were filled with water? The view from the bridge is not spectacular and the dam cannot be seen while driving over the bridge. The Hoover Dam is an impressive sight to see. Concrete has a nasty habit of cracking. They contribute to the economic development of the United States and to the social welfare of the American public. It will divert U.S. 93 traffic downstream from the dam. The heat has been otherworldly, with Phoenix recently enduring a record six straight days above 115F (46.1C). This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Summer temperatures in the canyon can easily reach 125 degrees. Things look pretty grim. This image shows three views of the dam. Those interested in learning more will find much useful information on the internet. The New Deal was famous for using public works projects to put Americans back to work. Boulder Dam is a splendid symbol of that principle. Ultimately, they managed to agree on a document, called the Colorado River Compact. Why do you think there are so many now? Here are seven tips you need to know before visiting the Hoover Dam! Standard A - The student elaborates mental maps of locales, regions, and the world that demonstrate understanding of relative location, direction, size, and shape. They were responsible for keeping the project on schedule and within budget. Activity 1: Which Job Would You Want? Hoover Dam has accomplished every goal set forth in the Boulder Canyon Project legislation. 1942, 18; Historical New York Times Database, accessed 9/20/2011. Its construction, in the teeth of the Great Depression, was a source of such national pride that thousands of people journeyed through the hostile desert to witness the arrival of what has become an enduring monument to collective effort for the public good. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places documentation, "Hoover Dam" (with photos); on National Historic Landmark documentation, "Hoover Dam" (with photos); and on Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) publications. Hoover Dam: Hoover Dam tour ruined by Dam security! But since 2000, scientists say the rivers flow has dwindled by 20% compared to the previous centurys average. 1. The shovels had to remove about 130 feet of soil and loose rock before they could get down to solid rock. Others may be simply old. It is just a bridge to a driver. Surprisingly, there is much to read/learn about the bridge with many placards to read as you walk towards the span. In 1905, the Colorado River flooded rich, irrigated farmland in the Imperial Valley in southern California. And then, a background check is done. Which job would be most important? 4. 1. Theme VI: Power, Authority, and Governance. This PBS production provides materials for teachers, in addition to a history of the dam and some of the people involved in its creation. (Bureau of Reclamation; photographer unknown), (Boulder City Museum and Historical Association; photographer unknown. Lake Mead, the reservoir created by the Hoover Dam, is the largest reservoir in America. Why do you think President Coolidge's secretary of commerce led the discussions leading up to the Colorado River Compact? The compact estimated that the rivers annual flow would be 16.5 million acre-feet, allocated 7.5 million acre-feet each to the Upper Basin and the Lower Basin, and set the amount of water each of the states in the Lower Basin would receive. Only 1.8% of the west is not in some level of drought, with California, Arizona and New Mexico all experiencing their lowest rainfalls on record over the previous 12 months. How much would that weigh? That is why I have the right once more to congratulate you who have built Boulder Dam and on behalf of the Nation to say to you, "Well done." Over 75 years later, Hoover Dam continues its multiple roles in flood control, power generation, and as a major supplier of water in the Southwestern U.S. See also: New Cyber-Security Standards for N. American Power System. Inside the Arizona powerhouse are nine massive generators. Hoover Dam is an example of a "public works" project. Copyright 2023 IDG Communications, Inc. CSO provides news, analysis and research on security and risk management, How 9-11 Shaped Hoover Dam Security Operations, Sponsored item title goes here as designed, The 10 most powerful cybersecurity companies, 7 hot cybersecurity trends (and 2 going cold), The Apache Log4j vulnerabilities: A timeline, Using the NIST Cybersecurity Framework to address organizational risk, 11 penetration testing tools the pros use. Standard G - The student applies knowledge of how groups and institutions work to meet individual needs and promote the common good. . The following slideshow shows various areas, from the road over the dam to the surrounding buildings and tunnels within the dam itself, as well as the energy-producing machinery and surrounding work spaces, a small representation of the diverse spaces that the Hoover Dam Police Department and security staff protect. From Las Vegas, take US Highway 93 South and continue about 20 miles to Boulder City. 2. The men filled the holes they had drilled with dynamite and then the jumbos drove away. On the drive out there is a free carpark halfway up the road you can park . However, we stopped here to view the dam. Hoover and other major dams, along with nuclear power plants, are among sites where, authorities say, a terrorist act could be so catastrophic that the new security steps should remain in place. When youve got em ready, dump a bunch of rock and dirt in the river, just below the upper end of the tunnels to block off the river. Before the building of Hoover Dam, the Colorado River was dangerous and unreliable. Weve known this point will arrive because weve continued to use more water than the river provides for years, said Kathryn Sorensen, a water policy expert at Arizona State University. If students identify a neglected public works project, they may want to consider creating a PowerPoint presentation to present to local government authorities to call attention to the problem. The U.S. Reclamation Service, renamed the Bureau of Reclamation in 1923, was created to design and build these systems. In 1924, Reclamation reported that 143,000 people lived on the agency's 24 irrigation projects and that farm earnings for that year totaled $70 million. Why do you think Reclamations engineers were excited about building the big dam? 9 It is known that this dam is located about 50 kilometers southeast of Las Vegas, (Nevada). Approximately $5.5 million per year is allocated to all security, including law enforcement. The Visitor Center is open every day of the year except for Thanksgiving and Christmas days. How would their list compare with the original "Seven Wonders of the World" and with Corporal Ward's "Seven Wonders of the United States? We bent nature to suit our own needs, said Brad Udall, a climate and water expert at Colorado State University. Anyone who doesn't allow inspection of their vehicle is turned around. The Bureau of Reclamation (the government agency originally tasked with reclaiming this arid place for a new utopia of farmland and a booming western population), expects this historic low to spiral further, dropping to about 1,048ft by the end of 2022, a shallowness unprecedented since Lake Mead started filling up in the 1930s following Hoover dams completion.