Hoover Dam
From Travel Information and Popular Attractions: TravelName.com
The famous Hoover dam is built on the Colorado river bordering the states of Nevada and Arizona, about 30 miles from the city of Las Vegas. It also forms a part of US 93 highway and about 15000 people pass through it each day. It was the highest dam in the world when it was built and is among the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World. The construction of Hoover Dam was done between 1930 and 1935 and a workforce of about 16,000 men and women.
Building a dam on the mighty Colorado river which is 1450 miles long and has carved out terrains like Grand Canyon and Marble Canyon was not an easy task with the limited resources available in 1930's. Also the location was underdeveloped and dangerous to live. The reason so many people all across the country joined workforce for the construction was because United States was undergoing a major economic depression called the great depression and people were desperately searching for jobs. Official figures say that abut 96 people were killed in industrial accidents. Several others died from the heat, poor sanitation and carbon monoxide poisoning. The dam construction was over two years ahead of schedule.
The construction of Hoover dam (earlier called the Boulder Dam) was successful largely due to the vital role played by Secretary of Commerce 'Herbert Hoover'. To show appreciation for his work the Bolder Dam was renamed as Hoover Dam. 'Herbert Hoover' eventually served as the 31st President of United States. The Lake Mead reservoir was created as a result of Hoover Dam. Lake Mead is named after 'Elwood Mead' who also played a vital role in construction of the dam. The electrical power generated by Hoover Dam goes to Southern California, Arizona and Nevada and irrigation water to huge areas in USA and Mexico.
Additional Information
Other quick facts about Hoover Dam are:
It is 726.4 feet high, 1,244 feet across the top.
The width is thickest on the base, that is 660 feet.
It weighs more than 6,600,000 tons.
Water pressure at the base of Dam is 45,000 pounds per square feet.
There are 4,360,000 cubic yards of concrete in the dam, power plant and appurtenant works. This much concrete would build a monument of 100 square feet and 2-1/2 miles high; would rise higher than the Empire State Building (which is 1,250 feet) if placed on an ordinary city block; or would pave a standard highway 16 feet wide, from San Francisco to New York City
The principal materials were reinforcement steel, 45,000,000 pounds; gates and valves, 21,670,000 pounds; plate steel and outlet pipes, 88,000,000 pounds; pipe and fittings, 6,700,000 pounds or 840 miles; structural steel, 18,000,000 pounds; miscellaneous metal work 5,300,000 pounds.
Hoover Dam has 17 generators giving it the capacity to produce over 2,000 megawatts of hydro electric power.
Being on the border of Nevada and Arizona the time zone on both ends of the dam are different.
Construction cost: $49 million ( not adjusted for inflation).
Source and official site : http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/*
