Refer to your textbook if necessary. The past two years have been shocking to me, I never thought I would see downtown LA reach 111F as its so close to the ocean, but we have some of the driest conditions in 1,200 years so the dice are loaded for more heatwaves and fires. Is the image or the reading more useful in helping you understand Hoover Dam? We know that, as an unregulated river, the Colorado added little of value to the region this dam serves. The maps and images appear twice: in a small version with associated questions and alone in a larger version. The following activities will help students build on what they have learned. 3) To explain the steps in the construction process and their dangers. Do students think it would be necessary for the federal government to be involved to plan and complete such a new dam? Dam infrastructure can be affected by natural hazards, man-made threats, as well as an imbalance between resources invested and a dam's age. Once we got on the other side the traffic was stopped trying to get down in there. No sprawling food bowl of wheat, alfalfa and corn. Those interested in learning more will find much useful information on the internet. If the two don't match, the vehicle is turned away. Which group's contributions do you think he valued the most? The price of Boulder Dam during the depression years provided [work] for 4,000 men, most of them heads of families, and many thousands more were enabled to earn a livelihood through manufacture of materials and machinery. The dam is used for flood and silt control, hydroelectric . If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Standard I - The student uses economic concepts to help explain historical and current developments and issues in local, national, or global contexts, Theme VIII: Science, Technology, and Society. They may inspect your car as part of the inspection. Hoover Dam was the first of those on the map. The gates of these great diversion tunnels were closed here at Boulder Dam last February. Security training and exercises for the police and security officers is conducted frequently often with other federal and local law enforcement agencies to provide them with familiarity of the facility. Explain your answer. There are 582 miles of cooling pipe in the am to control the temperature of the concrete and prevalent cracks. By the early 1920s, most people thought that building a big dam on the lower Colorado was the best way to store water to irrigate the low-lying valleys of Arizona and southern California and to protect them from floods. The Hoover Dam Police force has expanded to accommodate the security measures implemented. On the drive out there is a free carpark halfway up the road you can park . At the other end of the tunnels build another cofferdam to keep the water from backing up, pump the puddles out from between, and there you have ita dry spot in the river, with the stream running right around it, through the tunnels. The following slideshow shows various areas, from the road over the dam to the surrounding buildings and tunnels within the dam itself, as well as the energy-producing machinery and surrounding work spaces, a small representation of the diverse spaces that the Hoover Dam Police Department and security staff protect. The Hoover Dam: Fast Facts. Under The Bridge The. Contrary to popular myth, no workers were buried alive in the dam's concrete as it was poured. Some states were not happy about the compact; Arizona did not ratify it until 1944. Then ask the students to gather information on changes in the volume of water flowing down Colorado River during that period. Ask each group to report back to the class. The states of the west, primarily Arizona and Nevada, now face hefty cuts in their water supplies amid a two-decade drought fiercer than anything seen in a millennium. Built during the Great Depression, Hoover Dam is one of America's great historical landmarks. If you had to decide how much of the river's water each state could have, what factors might you consider? The lake extends about 110 miles upstream from the dam. Don't know why this is even listed. Simple? One of the definitions of "penstock" is a pipe or conduit that carries water from a reservoir to electrical generating equipment. This will cause the mass to cool and shrink quickly. 4. We came back up from Laughlin so we could stop at the dam. The bridge is located high in the mountains above the dam. Make them each 56 feet in diameter, then line them with three feet of concrete. Why do you think so many people came to this remote and hostile location looking for work? The pace of change has been jarring to the millions of people who regularly boat, fish and swim on the lake, with the National Park Service recently laying down new steel platforms to extend launch ramps that no longer reach the water. This will provoke a second, harsher, round of cuts. In a whole class discussion, compare and contrast the ancient and modern wonders. This map shows only Reclamation's dams in the basin. It includes historic footage of Hoover Dam under construction, including the high scalers in action and the concrete being poured into the forms. This completes our engineering course. Access control Brent Gunderson, regional security manager of the lower Colorado river region, worked at the Hoover Dam for four years and managed the police force. Is there a security background check? The decline of Lake Mead is apparent even at a cursory glance. This morning I came, I saw and I was conquered, as everyone would be who sees for the first time this great feat of mankind. The tour began at the Hoover Dam Police Department in the Security Command Center, where the security staff monitors the various security, access control, and communications systems on a 24/7 basis. "The Greatest Dam in the World": Building Hoover Dam relates to the following National Standards for History: Era 8: The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945). You are now ready to install the main portion of the dam. These new projects would also control floods, supply water to growing cities, and generate electricity to fuel industrial growth in a new West. Your guess is as good as mine whether well get that. Unpredictable flash floods could occur in any season. Standard I - The student explains the relationship between policy statements and action plans used to address issues of public concern. What difficulties might those building it encounter? (Bureau of Reclamation; photographer unknown), (Boulder City Museum and Historical Association; photographer unknown. Reclamation engineers designed the dam and created the hundreds of detailed plans and specifications that the contractors would follow. Standard D - The student describes a range of examples of the various institutions that make up economic systems such as households, business firms, banks, government agencies, labor unions, and corporations. Remember that temperatures regularly exceed 90 degrees on the hottest days, and bring lots of water with you. How does that change if the level of the reservoir is getting too high? This morphing climate, plus the rampant extraction of water for everything from golf courses in Phoenix to vegetables growing in California to gardens in Denver, means the Colorado fizzles out in dry riverbed before it even reaches its Mexican delta. The U.S. Reclamation Service, renamed the Bureau of Reclamation in 1923, was created to design and build these systems. In 1924, Reclamation reported that 143,000 people lived on the agency's 24 irrigation projects and that farm earnings for that year totaled $70 million. How many of them can you count? At the gate are several agents and they can wave you by or pull you over. Standard F - The student identifies and explains the roles of formal and informal political actors in influencing and shaping public policy and decision-making. 8 What other hazards do you think the men working on the jumbos might have faced? Additional money is allocated for security work on . 4) To identify some of the factors contributing to public perceptions of Hoover Dam and its construction. Finally, ask the students to consider what effect building a new dam might have on these problems. Today we translate them into a great national possession. You can take one of themno one will miss itmaybe. Standard H - The student works independently and cooperatively to accomplish goals. Great way to see an amazing feat of civil engineering. Ickes defended his decision by stating, "The men who pioneered this project knew it by this. Preliminaries.Before you can start on the dam, it will be necessary to build a town. From Las Vegas, take US Highway 93 South and continue about 20 miles to Boulder City. Used by permission. It also includes images showing the installation of the last turbine in the power plant and the benefits provided by the dam. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. 2. Weve known this point will arrive because weve continued to use more water than the river provides for years, said Kathryn Sorensen, a water policy expert at Arizona State University. We all want the nice weather but we need those good storms to build everything back up, he said. If cracks were to appear in your dam it might cause severe criticism from people living below the damor from their heirs. The river, and dam, made the west; now the climate crisis threatens to break it. Theme VI: Power, Authority, and Governance. We are here to celebrate the completion of the greatest dam in the world, rising 726 feet above the bedrock of the river and altering the geography of a whole region; we are here to see the creation of the largest artificial lake in the world115 miles long, holding enough water, for example, to cover the State of Connecticut to a depth of ten feet; and we are here to see nearing completion a power house which will contain the largest generators yet installed in this country. Drought suggests to a lot of people something temporary we have to respond to, but this could permanently be the type of flows we see.. Why do you think they did that? Copyright 2023 IDG Communications, Inc. CSO provides news, analysis and research on security and risk management, Sponsored item title goes here as designed. The view from the bridge is not spectacular and the dam cannot be seen while driving over the bridge. A dam's electrical output is partly a function of the height of its reservoir. Better do that right now.) The engineering might of Hoover dam undoubtably reshaped Americas story, harnessing a raucous river to help carve huge cities and vast fields of crops into unforgiving terrain. Research by Williams and colleagues last year analyzed tree rings to discover the current dry period is rivaled only by a spell in the late 1500s in a history of drought that reaches back to around 800, with the climate crisis doubling the severity of the modern-day drought. As you make each section of pipe, X-ray it for defects. More than 5 million barrels of Portland cement and 4.5 million cubic yards of aggregate went into the dam. The materials listed below can be used directly on the computer or printed out, photocopied, and distributed to students. Then, we walked up the bridge to see the dam. Make this cofferdam about a hundred feet high, two blocks thick at the base and 70 feet thick on top. Its construction, in the teeth of the Great Depression, was a source of such national pride that thousands of people journeyed through the hostile desert to witness the arrival of what has become an enduring monument to collective effort for the public good. Tickets for tours of the dam and the power plant are available at the Visitor Center. It will divert U.S. 93 traffic downstream from the dam. What were conditions like in America in 1931? Stuff the holes with dynamite, and blast it away. Now for the issues. Tickets can also be purchased on-line. They stretch for some 124 miles (200 kilometers) along the upper and middle reaches of the . Where does it end? We recognize also the energy, resourcefulness and zeal of the builders, who, under the greatest physical obstacles, have pushed this work forward to completion two years in advance of the contract requirements. Americans began coming to see the big dam long before it was completed four years later. Each block was five feet high. Seven states California, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Nevada and Mexico are bound by agreements that parcel out the rivers water but those considered junior partners in this arrangement will be hit first. They were responsible for keeping the project on schedule and within budget. What might be the advantages of each type of ownership? The dam was constructed during the Great Depression in the 1930s and was completed in 1936, providing jobs for thousands of workers during a time of economic hardship. Ask students to investigate how the places supplied by Hoover Dam have grown since 1935. Guiding us was Peter Gregson, regional security officer for Reclamation's Lower Colorado Region. 1. Could you build it without men to drive trucks or feed the workers? The bridge is located high in the mountains above the dam. The massive structure took 5 years to build, between 1931 and 1936; the thousands of laborers . Bureau of Reclamation History Every foot of elevation loss reduces the power potential by 5.7 megawatts. Continue on US 93 for about 5 miles to the turn-off to Nevada State Route 172the Hoover Dam Access Road. Hoover Dam, a concrete-arch gravity dam, captures water from the Colorado River and fills Lake Mead. Explain your answer. 5) To describe the impact Hoover Dam had on the Southwest and the nation and to explore some of its long-term implications. Standard B - The student shows through specific examples how science and technology have changed people's perceptions of the social and natural world, such as in their relationship to the land, animal life, family life, and economic needs, wants, and security. You couldn't build the dam without men to pour concrete. No sprawling food bowl of wheat, alfalfa and corn. Private vehicles are allowed to cross after the vehicle is inspected. The Colorado River rises in the lofty Rocky Mountains, before tumbling through 1,450 miles of mountains, canyons and deserts until it reaches the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. Other historic photos show dense rows of men working close together on the canyon walls. LESSON NO. The Hoover Dam Police, officially the Bureau of Reclamation Police, was a federal security police force, stationed at Hoover Dam 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Las Vegas.Reclamation Police Officers were stationed only at Hoover Dam. 2. 2. Surprisingly, there is much to read/learn about the bridge with many placards to read as you walk towards the span. Have students compare the data on the demand for water with the data on the available supply and then hold a whole class discussion brainstorming what problems might arise if the trends the students have identified continue. Connect them with pipes. Now drill holes through the cliffs from towers to power plant. Answer (1 of 5): I have no specific knowledge on this topic but that's doesn't stop the President of the United States, so I'll go ahead and give you an opinion that's hopefully not useless. Wictionary website, accessed 1/30/2011. The dam had to be big. Used by permission). The Visitor Center is open every day of the year except for Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Activity 3: Hoover Dam and the Arid West Hoover Dam is as tall as a 60-story building. All other commercial trafficspecifically, the large semis and busesare not allowed to cross and are turned around at the checkpoints. There are eight generators inside the Nevada . Copyright 2004 IDG Communications, Inc. 5 Why do you think he used the old name in his speech? Although not shown in the illustration, all of the features shown in the cut-away are duplicated on the other side of the dam. A few hundred miles north, a fast-moving wildfire incinerated the town of Lytton in British Columbia the day after it set a Canadian temperature record of 121F (49.4C). The bridge was completed in 2010 and there are many descriptions about the building of the bridge so its good for any kids with an architecture and/or civil engineering interest. In 2010, in the United States there were 38,364 reported suicide deaths. Work on the dam began sooner than originally planned. How did Reclamation and Six Companies divide the work on the dam? In this lesson, students have learned why and how Hoover Dam was constructed. 6. Weve seen extremes we havent seen before, we now have scenarios that are very, very dry.. Do you think anybody today would suggest that no one might notice if you flooded one of them? The plan was for construction to start in the fall of 1931, in the depths of the Great Depression, which had begun with the stock market crash of 1929. All vehicles entering the dam site are subject to inspection by officers at the security checkpoint located in Nevada approximately one mile from the dam. 1) To list five factors that led to the construction of Hoover Dam. Under Presidential Directive 12, employee and contractor identities and suitability must be confirmed through background checks. Everything looks small. LESSON NO. Roosevelt strongly defended the work relief projects for which his administration was famous. During a dark time, Hoover Dam seemed to transcend Americans fears about the future. If the states did not agree with what you recommended, who do you think should have the right to make a final decision? LESSON NO. It provides water to irrigate farm fields. The jumbos backed up to the working faces in the tunnels so that men using all the drills could work at the same time and higher on the wall without the need for scaffolds. The Hoover Dam is one of the crown jewels of American infrastructure. All visitors, or anyone doing business at the dam, are required to pass through magnetometers and X-ray screening. Additional money is allocated for security work on the structure and facilities. Actually, once we got thru the checkpoint, we drove to the visitor center, where we parked in a garage ($10, cash only), and then we walked across the actual dam my kids were excited about walking from Nevada to Arizona and back again. then, once we returned to our car, we stopped at the bridge. Boulder Dam and the powerhouses together cost a total of $108,000,000. What benefits would a new dam provide? The discussion took a turn when we reminded ourselves that these wonders belonged to the ancient world. Even with these adaptions, however, the decline of Lake Mead has caused the amount of hydro power generated by the dam to drop by around 25%. Security can help organize and control situations such as large events crowds, employee terminations, or to promote a general sense of order and safety in corporate buildings.