Hoover Dam..

Hoover
Dam

May 2001

There has been much written about the Hoover Dam but suffice to say here, that it dams the Colorado River, creating Lake Mead, produces electricity, and participates in water management. Look elsewhere if you want a comprehensive explanation of this structure. For me, I'll just share some additional photos of this impressive structure.

Approaching Hoover Dam from Las Vegas, this impressive scene greets you. Notice the leaning transmission towers.

No, this isn't bad photography on my part, this is how the towers are actually constructed. It is called cantilever construction, placing the towers at an angle. This was done because the angle and depth of the canyon walls prevented the power wires from connecting to the transmission towers if placed in a traditional position, so they were angled, or cantilevered, over the canyon. The picture on the right shows a different type of tower which services the facility, constructed in Lake Mead.

And, speaking of Lake Mead, it can be seen here, stretching back towards the Grand Canyon. The white portion of the rock

indicates the position of the high water mark, which has been bleached out by the rising and falling water level of the lake. To the right is a penstock, which serves as the largest "relief valve" in the world. If the lake water gets too high, water flows over a relief dam to the right of the main dam, and the excess water runs down this penstock into the river below the dam. How big is this penstock? You could easily drive a bus thru it and have room to spare.