Hoover Dam – Dale’s Daily Data

The Hoover Dam - originally known as the Boulder Dam took 21-thousand men three years to build what at the time became the largest dam in the world and one of the largest man-made structures in the world.  But planning for the Hoover Dam began 30 years before construction began. 

Farming areas along the Colorado River each year were flooded by melting snow from the Rocky Mountains.  By building a dam it not only would provide flood control but would allow farming in the desert and provide a dependable source of fresh water for cities in southern California.

The biggest obstacle was getting all the states affected by it to agree.  Water rights were and continue to be an issue among western states, but it was President Herbert Hoover who negotiated the Colorado River Compact that divided the water fairly among all the states.

Some facts about the Hoover Dam –

• It’s second highest dam in the country
• It’s the 18th highest dam in the world
• It’s more than 72 stories tall, 660 feet thick at the base and 45 feet wide at the top
• It has 18 generators providing power to over a million customers
• It’s part of a system that provides water to over 25-million people.
• 96 workers died during construction. 

Construction began on this date in 1930.  It was finished two years ahead of schedule and millions of dollars under budget.

Here's a time lapse video of the construction of the Hoover Dam shown at the Hoover Dam Visitor Center.  Remember - this film was shot in the 1930's.

SOURCE: hooverdamtourcompany.com