Construction of the Boulder Dam
1931 to 1936
What Is The Boulder Dam?
Some 12,000 people attended the ceremony on September 30, 1935, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated Boulder Dam. (Twelve years later, the dam would be renamed for Hoover in honor of his efforts on behalf of the project.) Hoover Dam was the tallest dam in the world when it was finished, and remained the largest producer of hydroelectric power in the world until 1948. Today, it is no longer the tallest, the largest by volume or the largest hydroelectric power producer, but remains among the biggest and best-known dams in the world. A National Historic Landmark, Hoover Dam draws some 7 million tourists a year, and another 10 million visit Lake Mead for boating, sailing, fishing and other recreation.
Location
Clark county, Nevada and Mohave county, Arizona. Hoover Dam spans the Colorado River in Black Canyon between Arizona and Nevada some 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas
Purpose
Boulder Dam also known as Hoover Dam was built for a few reasons. It was built for flood control, water storage and mainly for power. (Hydroelectric Power)
People Involved
President Herbert Hoover and Congress
Arthur Powell Davis, head of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, drew up plans for an ambitious dam-building project in 1922. More than 200 engineers worked to design the dam that would be constructed in Black Canyon.
President Herbert Hoover
Design for the Hoover dam
Arthur Powell Davis
Successes and Failures
Pros: The project's success helped usher several decades of major water projects funded by the U.S. government. Because of Hoover Dam, the Colorado River was controlled for the first time in history.Farmers received a dependable supply of water in Nevada, Arizona, and California. Numerous cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego, and Phoenix were given an inexpensive source of electricity, permitting population growth and industrial development. Hoover Dam also provided for flood control and irrigation.
Cons: More than 100 people died
General Information
Status: The Hoover Dam is currently is use
Cost: 49 million dollars (with inflation 838 million dollars)
In 1928 Congress authorized the project. A company called Six Company Inc was the construction company chosen. The first concrete poured on the dam was on June 6th, 1933 (18 months ahead of schedule). Never before was such a large concrete structure built.