Hoover Dam

Monday, May 2, 2016...Up early saying goodbye to our Pinon Hills, CA, family until next time as we hit the road for Duck Creek RV Resort near Las Vegas, NV...the "Entertainment Capital of the World."  Along the way we encountered two 6% uphill grades where the truck did NOT struggle; but, the RPM's went above 4.

We passed by the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System located in the California Mojave Desert about 40 miles from Las Vegas, NV.  This is a solar thermal plant that deploys heliostat towers each with two mirrors to reflect sunlight onto a receiver filled with water.  The water is then sun heated creating high temperature steam.  This steam is piped to a turbine which generates electricity.  The shinny to dark ground spots were solar panels. The bright light from these mirrors can bother folk who drive along I-15.  They were bright!

Gas at Terrible's. What a name!

Then finally our new camping spot with full hook-ups.

The pool was too cold for most folk.  But, the hot tub was the perfect temp for a nice long soak. We have met CT, SC, and Utah camping folk.

Tuesday...our travels took us through Henderson and Boulder City, NV, to a check point prior to the dam.  J had to pull over due to his tonneau cover and drop the tailgate for inspection.  Parking in the parking garage was limited to a 23 foot length vehicle.  Our truck squeezed in at 22 feet with us holding our breath as we wound around the tight entrance to level 3.  My disability plackard landed us FREE parking next to the elevator.  YEAH!



We drove across the dam from NV to AZ and back catching some awesome views of the dam and LOW water.  There are 4 water intakes for the turbines.  The water level use to be almost to the top.

Here is one of the two 50 foot spillway overflow pipes that carries water when the lake is too full around the dam to the Colorado River below the dam.




We once again went through an inspection station prior to our Power Plant tour.

Our Senior PP tickets started with a movie then a sardine packed elevator ride down 558 feet through the rock tunnels to view the power plant and its turbines.  We walked several rock tunnels to various rooms for our guided tour that was more than interesting.  We learned that some of the equipment needed to build the dam was too large to haul in via rail or land, so factories were built to make the needed items.

Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between Nevada and Arizona.  Hoover Dam rose from the bed of the Colorado River. Its purpose is power, flood control, water storage, regulation, and recreation.  Its reservoir creates Lake mead...the largest reservoir in the US by volume.

For years, the Colorado River carved what is now a 1400-mile course from the Colorado Rocky Mts. to the Gulf of California, carrying water through the arid lands of the American West.  In the 1800's and early 1900's, this river often flooded low-lying farmland and communities from melting snow. Then would dry up to a trickle by late summer and fall.  This river needed to be harnessed and controlled.  But, before it could be managed, its water had to be divided between the 7 states it served...Nevada, Arizona, Utah, California, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico.

Water rights settled, Congress passed the Boulder Canyon Project Act in 1928...thus construction of Hoover Dam began in 1931 with the last concrete poured in 1935.  What was thought to take 100 years to make due to drying (curing) of concrete took less time after pipes filled with cold water were run thru the concrete to cool and speed up the curing time.  Slated to take 7 years to build...the dam was finished in 5 years and well under budget.  Below is a statue of one of the hard workers who scaled the rock walls to build the dam.  To the right is one of the hoists used to lift this 'n that.

In 1984 the Hoover Powerplant Act authorized the upgrading of the 17 main generating units, construction of visitor and parking facilities, and the Hoover Dam bypass bridge.  56% of this power goes to southern California, 19% goes to Arizona contractors, and 25% is used by Nevada.

I managed to do the rooftop overlook of the downstream side of the dam (below).  You can see 6 holes in the concrete to left of the river.  These pipes can be opened to divert excess water away from the turbines when necessary.  A new patch was also obtained at the Visitor's Center.

By the time we reached the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge downstream for another photo shoot, the wind had come up to 31mph gusts.  I decided to sit this one out while J walked the bridge for our last photo shoot.  It was interesting the various reactions of folk as they encountered the high bridge and wind.  It definitely was NOT a day to wear a hat.  A couple hats went flying in the wind.  LOL

Dam height...726.4 feet
Crest length...1244 feet
Crest width...45 feet
Base width...660 feet
Concrete...3.25 million cubic feet
Generators...17
Powerplants...2

Lake Mead has 55 miles of shoreline with a maximum depth of 498 feet with a length of 110 miles when full.  Today the snow melts and rain are less than they have been in 19 years.  The water level is down 151 feet.  You can see this by the light colored lines on the rock walls.  Our tour guide said that if we visit again in 2017 the lake water level is estimated to be down another 6 feet. WOW!  Water here is precious.

Until next time....Take care...be safe...see you by the campfire.