engineering
Hoover Dam
A curved concrete wall holds back Lake Mead in the Colorado River’s Black Canyon.
The story behind the place
Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s across Black Canyon on the Colorado River, between Nevada and Arizona. Dedicated in 1935, the arch-gravity structure forms Lake Mead and supports water storage, flood control and hydroelectric generation. Four intake towers, arranged in pairs upstream, route water towards the powerplant and outlet systems. Below the dam, powerhouse wings follow the narrow canyon.
Explore on the globe →Find Hoover Dam on the map, record the discovery in your travel journal and continue exploring nearby places.
Read more from the sources
- Hoover Dam HistoryU.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- Diversion Tunnels and Intake TowersU.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- Hoover Dam ChronologyU.S. Bureau of Reclamation
