The original Left and Right Powerhouses contain 18 main generators and the Left has an additional three service generators for total installed capacity of 2,280 MW. Explain your answer. Yet the story of Hoover Dam has a darker side. Its construction was a gargantuan engineering feat achieved at great human cost, its progress marred by the abuse of a desperate labor force. In 1905, the Colorado River flooded rich, irrigated farmland in the Imperial Valley in southern California. Among the projects to be completed before the generators themselves can begin to be overhauled include replacing underground 500 kV oil-filled cables for G19, G20 and G21 generators with overhead transmission lines (started in February 2009), new 236 MW transformers for G19 and G20 (started in November 2006), and several other projects. [104] The surviving songs were released as Columbia River Songs. [31] Of the two serious bids, the lowest bid was from a consortium of three companies: Silas Mason Co. from Louisville, Kentucky; Walsh Construction Co. of Davenport, Iowa and New York; and Atkinson-Kier Company of San Francisco and San Diego. Standard D - The student identifies and uses processes important to reconstructing and reinterpreting the past, such as using a variety of sources, providing, validating, and weighing evidence for claims, checking credibility of sources, and searching for causality. As it dries and cools, it shrinks and that’s what causes the cracks. This website, maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Region, includes a wealth of information. This guide contains many large numbers. In March 1931, Reclamation awarded the contract to build the dam to Six Companies, Inc. Six Companies was a group of some of the largest construction companies in the country. You are now ready to install the main portion of the dam. Its reservoir was the largest artificial lake in the world for decades and is still the largest in the United States. In 1943, its electricity was also used for plutonium production in Richland, Washington, at the Hanford Site, which was part of the top-secret Manhattan Project. What happens if Lake Mead drops too low to generate electricity at Hoover Dam? [75], A major overhaul of the Third Powerplant, which contains generators numbered G19 through G24, began in March 2008 and will be continuing for many years. Today the flow is closely managed—there is almost no seasonality.
Click on the tabs within the graphic for more information. Some states were not happy about the compact; Arizona did not ratify it until 1944. [63], Further regulation of the Columbia's flows was necessary to make the new power plant feasible. [86] The Third Powerplant was estimated to cost $390 million in 1967, but higher construction costs and labor disputes drove the project's final cost in 1973 to $730 million ($3.27 billion in 2019 dollars[2]), about 55% over estimates. Metropolitan gets half its energy from Hoover to deliver water to 19 million customers in southern California. The shelter seems to be located next to the river. Closer to home Norways wealth is based on the country being powered by Hydro-Electricity while they sell their oil around the world. Rough Zones Standard F - The student describes the role of institutions in furthering both continuity and change. The remaining nine operated for less than six months a year. However, the law of the river makes this difficult. Work actually began during the summer and continued around the clock until the dam was completed in 1935, two years ahead of schedule. 36,37 Hydroelectric power, including Nevada's share of Hoover Dam, supplied about 6% of in-state electricity net generation. [93] Kettle Falls, once a primary Native American fishing grounds, was also inundated. Why do you think he used the old name in his speech? Why do you think they used a measure like that, rather than something like gallons? The dam's powerhouse began production around the time World War II began, and its electricity was vital to the war effort. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. Why or why not? The pumpers argued that hydroelectricity from the dam could cover costs and claimed the ditchers sought to maintain a monopoly on electric power. They represent and embody the accumulated engineering knowledge and experience of centuries; and when we behold them it is fitting that we pay tribute to the genius of their designers. The first generator was commissioned in 1941 and all 18 were operating by 1950. Hoover Dam has accomplished every goal set forth in the Boulder Canyon Project legislation. [21] Construction on the downstream Grand Coulee Bridge began in May 1934 and more considerable earth-moving began in August. [22], Before and during construction, workers and engineers experienced problems. Built during the Great Depression, the dam would tame the flood-prone Colorado River southeast of Las Vegas―protecting cities and farms, generating cheap electricity to supply power to homes and industry, and providing work for thousands who desperately needed jobs. Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing ... The third large dam downstream, Wells Dam, has an intricate system of fish ladders to accommodate yearly salmon spawning and migration. Study history a little and you’ll find that fluctuations in weather of been going on for millions of years. Hydroelectric power reached 1,000 terawatt hours by the 1960s or about one-quarter of annual global electricity demand. The first new generator was commissioned in 1975 and the final one in 1980. However, the law of the river makes this difficult. The Boulder Canyon Project Act said that the cost of building Hoover Dam had to be repaid by selling electricity and that contracts for all the electricity had to be signed before construction began. Why do you think Six Companies developed this process? In 1922, the seven states of the Colorado River Basin met to decide how to divide the waters of the river. 5 in Reading 2. If you are, “Honestly, we’ve never been that low, so we don’t know what it will look like,” said Hoover Facility Manager Pete DiDonato. History of Electricity – A Timeline How many of the features mentioned in Reading 2 can you find in this image? The third powerhouse ("Nat"), completed in 1974 to increase energy production, makes Grand Coulee the largest power station in the United States by nameplate-capacity at 6,809 MW.[7]. 5. The Columbia Basin Project has affected habitat ranges for species such as mule deer, pygmy rabbits and burrowing owls, resulting in decreased populations. Most of that energy is needed to pump Colorado River water from Lake Havasu and distribute it throughout Metropolitan’s service area. Was it? Billions of years, in fact. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places documentation, "Hoover Dam" (with photos); on National Historic Landmark documentation, "Hoover Dam" (with photos); and on Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) publications. May 2016 feature on Hoover Dam by Brett Walton, Several climate studies based on tree ring data. How many gallons of water are in an acre-foot? 1954 World’s first nuclear power plant (Russia) started generating electricity. They are critical to the functioning of modern communities, but few people notice them unless something goes wrong. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States, The Stream, November 24, 2021: Industrial Fisheries Are Costing Millions of Africans Their Jobs, How a Federal Drought Relief Program Left Southern Oregon Parched—and Contributed to the Ongoing Groundwater Crisis in the West, The Stream, November 23, 2021: U.S. Officials Turn To Decades-Old Technology To Mitigate Water Crisis. 1. In 2009, production was only 3.7 billion kilowatt-hours. [26], To prepare for construction, housing for workers was needed along with four bridges downstream of the dam site, one of which, the Grand Coulee Bridge, exists today. [17], In 1925, Congress authorized a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study of the Columbia River. Such expenditures on all of these works, great and small, flow out to many beneficiaries; they revive other and more remote industries and businesses. Mexico, at the river’s mouth, was cut out of the original deal, but in 1944 was allocated 1.5 MAF. Its base is as thick as two football fields are long. 7 The consortium was known as MWAK, and their bid was $29,339,301, almost 15% lower than the $34.5 million option submitted by the next bidder, Six Companies, Inc., which was building Hoover Dam at the time. Why or why not? In years in which 8.23 MAF is released from Powell, Lake Mead will decline by 1.2 MAF because of evaporation and its delivery obligations to the lower basin. Not surprising, all are utility run. Originally, geologists believed a glacier that diverted the Columbia River formed the Grand Coulee, but it was revealed in the mid-late 20th century that massive floods from Lake Missoula carved most of the gorge. The cross section in the upper right hand corner is a side view. Gas-fired and coal-fired plants provide a constant, reliable stream of power, and are used for base loads. 36,37 Hydroelectric power, including Nevada's share of Hoover Dam, supplied about 6% of in-state electricity net generation. A 150,000 horsepower waterwheel for a generating unit is unloaded at Grand Coulee Dam, June 25, 1947. The spillways at Hoover Dam are only used when the water in the reservoir is so high that it would otherwise overflow the top of the dam. [53], Workers building the dam received an average of 80¢ an hour; the payroll for the dam was among the largest in the nation. 2. Found inside – Page 259Power generation , the Boulder Canyon Project's third major function , began at Hoover Dam when the first of four generating units installed in the Nevada wing of the powerhouse in 1936–37 was turned on . Some of the public works in the community may be historic; students might want to consider nominating them to national or state registers of historic places or including them in walking or driving tours or in on-line travel itineraries for presentation to the local chamber of commerce. [60] MWAK eventually sold Mason City to Reclamation in 1937 before its contract was completed. Assorted steam shovels, etc.—you'll have to move about 6 million cubic yards of rock and dirt, digging tunnels and whittling out the canyon walls to make room for the dam. Based on the size of the people in the image, how big do you think these shovels were? In one study, the Army Corps of Engineers estimated the annual loss was over 1 million fish. If you were reading or listening to Roosevelt's speech in 1935, would you think that Hoover Dam was one of his New Deal work relief projects? The lime in cement causes it to get hot when it is mixed with water. 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. Many refused to accept the offers, and Reclamation filed condemnation suits. Science Be Dammed is an alarming reminder of the high stakes in the management—and perils in the mismanagement—of water in the western United States. Do you think that would have been a safe place to live? Nine identical 108 MW generators were recommended, but as matters stood, they would be able to operate only in periods of high water. The new turbine will be installed in March 2012. 2. The generator overhauls for G19, G20 and G21 have not been scheduled as of 2010. By this time, Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, had been elected president. The geographic area drained by a river and its tributaries is called a "basin." Backers of reclamation in Central Washington split into two camps. Found inside – Page 168as possible from the appearance of generating electricity.42 Rather than selling electricity, the federal government ... President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated Hoover Dam on September 30, 1935, but the power plant was not yet finished. The materials listed below can be used directly on the computer or printed out, photocopied, and distributed to students. Hydroelectric power reached 1,000 terawatt hours by the 1960s or about one-quarter of annual global electricity demand. The "pumpers" favored a dam with pumps to elevate water from the river into the Grand Coulee from which canals and pipes could irrigate farmland. [10], The ditchers took several steps to ensure support for their proposals. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. We’re getting into uncharted territory.” [77], The dam's primary goal, irrigation, was postponed as the wartime need for electricity increased. The bubbles form when low water levels in Lake Mead, the reservoir behind the dam, create pressure differentials in the water flowing into the generators. Go back to Reading 2. [97], To compensate for the lack of ladder, three fisheries have been created above the dam, releasing into the upper Columbia River. One of the definitions of "penstock" is a pipe or conduit that carries water from a reservoir to electrical generating equipment. Plate steel for making pipes—88 million pounds—when you get into pipe 30 feet in diameter, you have to make your own. Used by permission. [5] The three 700 MW units were later upgraded to 805 MW by Siemens. Stuff the holes with dynamite, and blast it away. (The pipes are still there, buried in the concrete.) Tribal leaders reported another 2,000 graves in 1940, but the Bureau of Reclamation would not continue grave relocation, and the sites were soon covered by water.[92]. 5. Why or why not? Lower several hundred men from the top on ropes and let them drill the cliffs full of holes. 5. Labor makes wealth. [61] In 1956, Reclamation combined both Mason City and Engineer's Town to form the city of Coulee Dam. Grand Coulee Dam generates 21 TWh of electricity annually. The total capacity at Hoover is now 1,617 megawatts—a 20 percent decrease from its designed capacity of 2,080 megawatts. Why do you think Six Companies was so anxious to get this part of the project done quickly? That is why I have the right once more to congratulate you who have built Boulder Dam and on behalf of the Nation to say to you, "Well done." Total generation in 1999 was 5.5 billion kilowatt-hours. [48] The Anti-Speculation Act was passed in 1937, limiting the amount of land farmers could own to prevent inflated prices.

2.

Could you build it without men to drive trucks or feed the workers? The west power house was completed in December 1939 and about 5,500 workers were on site that year. Basing their judgments on a short historical record and a few gauges, the negotiators believed the mean annual flow was at least 17 million acre-feet at Lees Ferry, Ariz. Before the building of Hoover Dam, the Colorado River was dangerous and unreliable. There is a charge for the tours, in addition to an admission charge for the Visitor Center. The lake it created would be the largest in the world. What kind of danger does carbon monoxide present? For wind turbines, each tower has a set of turbine blades and an alternator that extracts the wind’s energy and converts it to electricity. Full (?) Standard E - The student identifies and describes the basic features of the political system in the United States, and identifies representative leaders from various levels and branches of government. It is an outcome that would destabilize energy markets in the Southwest, send retail customers that serve millions of residents to the spot market to buy power at up to five times the cost and dissolve the illusion that rivers are infinitely malleable to our own purposes.

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