Largest Manmade Reservoir

Hoover Dam was constructed in the 1930s. It spans the

Colorado River in Black Canyon between Arizona and Nevada

and is the largest manmade reservoir in the United States.

Hoover Dam’s foundation relies on gravity to keep the entire

structure from collapsing. Due to this, it is technically considered

a concrete arch-gravity retaining wall.

Originally known as Boulder Dam, Hoover Dam was renamed

in 1947 in honor of Herbert Hoover. As the U.S. Secretary of

Commerce and the 31st U.S. President, Hoover significantly

influenced the creation of the dam.

The primary purpose of the dam is to generate

electricity. This service began on September 12, 1936. The

Hoover Dam electric generating plant produces enough

electricity to meet the power needs for over a million people.

wide at its crest. It's made from 3.25 million tons of concrete

and weighs more than 6.5 million tons. The dam was built

using 215 interlocking blocks.

Hoover Dam rises 726 feet and is 1,200 feet

Hoover Dam was constructed in 5 years. In total, 21,000

men labored on the dam. The average total payroll for the

construction was $500,000 per month.

During construction, the Colorado River had to be

diverted. Tunnels had to be bored through both cliff faces in

order to draw off water from the site. The largest tunnel was

three miles long.

Recreation

Another purpose of Hoover Dam is to provide

tourism in the surrounding areas by creating substantial

outdoor recreation opportunities. For example, tourists and

residents visit Lake Mead for boating, swimming, and fishing.

Scenic is the largest and most experienced

aerial tour operator in the world. Over 10 million customers

have visited the Grand Canyon and other National Parks

with Scenic. The tours allow visitors from around the world

to experience the beauty of the Southwest. Scenic offers

over 20 unique and customizable tours that range from

several hours to overnight to several days.

Phone: 1-800-634-6801

Website: http://www.scenic.com

Recreation

Sources

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