Nature SpotLake Mead

[elspeth334, 24.04.2008] When we were on holiday in Las Vegas we thought an interesting trip would be to the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead so we booked a tour in an air conditioned coach as it was July and Nevada was extremely hot. Outside it was 120 degrees and the air conditioning could not cope by the time was neared the dam we had nearly cooked.
Our first glimpse of this impressive structure was from high up on the approach road where Barbara Streisand has a home overlooking Lake Mead.
Some facts and figures about the Hoover Dam.
The Dam was the worlds largest when it was built in 19931-35. Hoover was president when work started and the dam was to be named after him but subsequent depression made him unpopular and it was named Boulder Dam when it opened. However with Hoovers return to public respect as chairman of the US Famine Emergency committee in 1945-46 led to the Dams original name being restored by Truman in 1947.
It took 3,500 to 5,000 people working 24 hours a day for 4 years to complete.
It cost $175,000,000 to build
It spans the Colorado River
The road that runs over the top of the Dam, links Nevada with Arizona
Size
726.4 feet high
1,244 feet long
45 feet wide at top and 660 feet wide at bottom
It generates 1,344800 Kilowatts of power
It contains 6.6 million tons of concrete
It created Lake Mead which is 115 miles long
There is a Visitors centre which opened in June 1995 also a shop and cafeteria. Outside the shop is a sculpture of a worker scaling the rock face reminding us what an incredible feat of engineering it is. Tours are run they used to be free but now the Parks department have made a charge. We opted out of this but I think it was about $10.
I felt very sorry for the policeman who is on permanent point duty on the dam in the extreme heat they rotate half an hour on half an hour off. The views from the top of the Dam were incredible over Lake Mead to one side and the Colorado River on the other so if you are ever in Nevada I highly recommend a visit.