The u. S. Government began this construction on hoover dam in 1931. The project employed over 21,000 workers. It was completed two years ahead of schedule. In 1955 department of the interior film about the planning and the building of hoover dam. The story explains the engineering feat necessary for construction and promotes economic and recreational benefits provided by the structure. Build a dam in the wilderness and the world will beat a path to it. For many centuries, this was a lonely canyon unseen and untouched by man, scorched by a desert sun, scolded by an angry river slashing its way to the sea. Now it lies peaceful and silent except for the gentle hum of a hydroelectric power plant, the bubbling up of water, the cheerful sounds of america and the world on the move who see this pioneer multipurpose. Eclamation project man built millions come to this spot to see this engineering wonder, to hear the story of hoover dam. Ladies and gentlemen, we are standing on the powerhouse ramp 566 feet below the top of the dam. This is black canyon where arizona and colorado meet. This is where man conquered this mighty river. The water that flows to the canyon itshe river has gathered to flowing southwestern in its wild 1400 mile descent to the Pacific Trojan pacific ocean. Piling up great deltas of silt in the valleys. Early settlers were at the mercy of this untamed giant. Melted snow from the mountains each spring swelled the Colorado River into a raging torrent. Flooding fertile valleys along its path. Destroying farmlands, homes, cities. Five, the colorado cut through its banks love the Mexican Border and for two years, forming an inland sea. Flood, whenrings fury, it had spent its dried to a trickle. Crops withered and died. All living things suffered. Settlers along the river were fury, it dried to a trickle. Crops withered anddiscouraged. Some gave up and went elsewhere. Fight. Stayed to the river had to be regulated, controlled in a yearround if they were to succeed. No more floods, no more droughts. Arthur powell davis, first reclamation director and chief engineer, understood their problem. He had traveled up and down the river surveying, studying. Build a high dam and a deep canyon upstream to control the river, he reasoned. 1918, davis reported his findings and proposals to congress. 1928,ss responded in authorizing construction of hoover dam to control and regulate the Colorado River. The all American Canal system to deliver water to farmlands on the lower river. In 1930, president who bert Hoover Herbert hoover sign the appropriations bill to begin construction. In 1931ract was awarded to Six Companies incorporated. Man and machines went to work to build this dam of unprecedented size, this modern civil. Ngineering wonder reclamation engineers rushed to completion specifications and design drawings. Site completedm their surveys and investigations. Of manser determination to conquer the Colorado River paraded between black canyon as construction got underway. The first major task was to divert river around the dam site. Four tunnels were drilled to the canyon walls. Each 56 feet in diameter, they averaged 4000 feet in length. Were packed with dynamite and plaster. Workman excavated over 1. 5 million cubic yards of blasted material in 13 months. Lined with were concrete three feet thick. Explosions rocked the canyon daily before placing the concrete and the dam began. Acrobatic workman prepared the canyon walls for each blast. Suspended on ropes, they drilled holes in the rock and loaded them with dynamite. After each explosion, these daredevils prying loose rock and clearing the walls of debris. In november 1932, the Colorado River was diverted. Under control for the first time in its history, the river float around and past the site. Men in truck dumped the rock across embankment. A second earth and rock dam was built across the river above the tunnel outlets downstream. Isolated and protected from the river, the site was pumped dry. Feet thechines dug 135 low the old river level to reach bedrock. Excavating over 2 million cubic yards of rock and sand. As cleanup of the site expose the ancient bad of the Colorado River, geologists read the history of what happened ages ago. Workman cleaned and prepared bad Rock Services to receive the first concrete. 12 miles upstream, drag lines, excavated sand and gravel. This raw hauled material to an aggregate plant across the river a few miles above the dam site. The sand and gravel passed through various processes until it emerged as aggregate. Then it was stock filed according to sizes. Process moved as called for two to mixing plants. Gravel were blended with cement into a uniform mix, meeting rigid specifications for the concrete to be placed in the structure. From the mixing plants, concrete was dispatched to all points of construction. Nine aerial cable ways spanning the canyon lower the concrete and handled other supplies and equipment as well. As the first bucket of concrete settled into its foundation on june 6, 1933, hoover dam began its rise from the depths of black canyon. Waves dropped load soon load of concrete, dam reached its thickness in its base. Skywardrlocking columns as crew set new records daily. But the full laughter bucketful ran a continuous cycle, bucket fill after bucket fill ran a continuous cycle. Tons. G its load of 16 in compacted the fresh boards while buckets returned again and again to the mixing plants to be filled with more concrete. Crews worked under all conditions all seasons of the year without cessation, rain or shine, day and night. By june 1934, line year after the first four, two thirds of the dams cant creep had been placed. Of the dams concrete had been placed. Relatedam structures came forth. The ushaped powerplant to house built,ing equipment was one along each side of the canyon walls. The maze ofs reinforcing steel and concrete perched on shelves, these graceful columns rose 403 feet well above the dams crests. Giant spillways were set against the canyon walls on each side of the reservoir just above the dam. These highlevel controls, each capable of bypassing 200,000 cubic feet of water per second, as sure that no water will ever overtop the dam. Water flowing into the basins lunges downward through the tunnels to enter the river below the dam. 100 foot long drum gates on the spillways crest rise to give the reservoir and additional 16 feet of storage. The system called for pipes of unprecedented size, ranging from 8. 5 to 30 feet in diameter. The fabrication plant erected for this job near the dam site rolled and assembled the three miles of pipe installed in the canyon wall tunnels. Fabrication of the pipe sections required special machinery and equipment. They were bent on a giant press enrolled into circular form and rolled into circular form. Platesf the largest welded together formed a ring 30 feet in diameter and 11 feet long. Two of these rings made up a ons. Ion weighing 150 t the sections would fit precisely when joined into continuous pin stocks inside the canyon walls. Trains revealed their comparative sides. When the intake powers and connected tunnels were ready, a specially designed trailer called the sections one at a time down the highway to the plant to the dam site. Relievescable waves the trailer of its tremendous burdens. Trailers carried them to their permanent connections inside the main tunnels. The pipe sections were hoisted into locations with cables and joined pressure pins to form continuous conduits between the intake towers, turbines, and outlet valves. A continuous stream of concrete had been pouring into the dam. The structure neared its full heightf 726 feet full of 726 feet. On may 29, 1935, two years after they had become crews placed the last concrete and hoover dam, a total of 3 million cubic yards. This modern Civil Engineering yearss to completed 2. 5 ahead of schedule. President er 30, 1935, Franklin Delano roosevelt dedicated hoover dam. He praised its designers and builders. The dam stood like a sentinel, white and beautiful in the desert sunlight, guarding the river. Floodwaters lapped helplessly against it. It spread into the valleys and canyons among the colorful hills and mountains. Conquered the colorado. Turbines will build into the powerhouse were built into the powerhouse. The first generator began commercial operation october 20 6, 1936, to serve the city of los angeles. And demandors filled for Electrical Energy in california, nevada, an arizona called them and to surface. Manufacture and installation of the last generator began. Years, it has lain dormant and silent. As more generating capacity was needed, contracts were awarded for the generators manufacturer and installation. Plants fabricated the many parts. The design followed that of other hoover generating units. , 16,500ilowatts generator driven by 115,000 horsepower turbine. Hauling water from the reservoir is controlled by a huge butterfly valve which permits the water to flow to the turban. Partnership0 tons, to hoover dam on 60 railcars partner parts were shipped to hoover dam on 60 railcars. The parts were lifted by cable way out over the canyon and down to the powerhouse. Gorgedescending into the on strands of cable were familiar, and almost daily site, reminiscent of previous installations. The Main Operator with the same on you and helped install and operate the cable way during the dams construction in the early 1930s. Others likewise worked on the project throughout its construction. Inside the nevada wing of the powerhouse, technicians assembled and installed the electrical cargo. Crews prepared to receive the new generating unit. Liners assembled were set in concrete. The turbines sections were lowered into the pit. Sections were leveled, bolted together, and aligned. , thes anchored in concrete turbines waterwheel attached to the bottom end of the shaft was installed inside the case. Butterfly valve was assembled on the generator floor and later connected between the penstock and the school case. The rotor and stater took form. Steel lamination plates were stacked around the frame. Coils were locked into place and electrical connections were made. The powerhouse is overhead cranes lifted the completed stater from its direction they and carried it to its foundation over the turbine, where was lowered and bolted into place. 4006610 rotor was moved from its they and lowered inside the stater. The rotor was joined to the turbine waterwheel by a 38 Inch Diameter shaft, 63 feet long. Other parts were added to complete the assembly. , it was on then line december 1, 1961. To serve the state of nevada and to complete the hoover powerplant, raising its capacity to one million kilowatts, keeping it is one of the Worlds Largest hydroelectric installations. As the last sounds of construction faded into history, hoover dam cost 175 million. Dams cost is being returned to the federal treasury at 3 interest. Hoover dam has fulfilled the hopes and expectations of those who envisioned this great reclamation project. Colorado river waters that once destroyed man and his property now serve him. Watersorado pours its. Nto lake mead await by downstream users. Water is released by the powerplant to irrigate over 1. 25 million acres of desert land. Generate Hydroelectric Energy and provide various other multipurpose benefits. The clear waters of opened up a vast recreational Vacation Land for america. Millions beat pass to this one time wilderness along the Colorado River to picnic, go wim, and fish. Hoover dam and its powerplant work around the clock to serve water and power needs of the pacific southwest. Water from lake mead passing into the intake powers falls over 500 feet to spin the giant turbine wheel and then discharge the river. This action is repeated at downstream reclamation dams. Transformers step up the voltage as it comes from the generators. Lines carry this power up over the powerhouse room to the switch yard. It is transmitted over lines across the desert. The river flows southward. Along the way, man diverts from the controlled stream to sustain his prosperous way of life. 67 miles downstream, davis dam reregulate the colorado, releasing water to its powerplant turbines to this country in mexico. Generators interconnect with those at hoover dam upstream and those that parker dam downstream. This energy goes through transmission lines to farms, homes, factories. Much of this energy pumps the farmers irrigation and draining water. Downstream 155 miles from hoover dam, was built with funds advanced by the much a politician Water District of southern california. It provides a four bay for the districts Colorado River aqueduct, another one of americas seven modern Civil Engineering wonders. Electric entering it comes water along the aqueduct. This delivers visible in Industrial Supplies to the los angeles and san diego coastal areas. Parker dam also controls floods. Fartherr dam, downstream, the diversion dams since water to the irrigation district, oldest Irrigation Development on the Colorado River. At imperial dam, 300 miles downstream from hoover, Colorado River water interest riverside canals enters riverside canals to irrigate farmland in california and arizona. The allAmerican Canal system carries part of the colorado west to the yuma, imperial and coachella valleys. And water reaches its farthest point on this canal system, it has traveled 500 miles after leaving hoover dam and has required 10 days to make the trip. The main canal takes water from imperial dam, south and east to valley and mesa lands of the auxiliary projects. Mexico share of the Colorado River water passes imperial dam and most of it is in dirt is diverted into the alamo canal. The nonsurplus food and forage crops grown on lands nourished by water from hoover dam find ready markets throughout the nation. Idle,overed lands lie winter fruits and vegetables grown in the warm southwest with Colorado River water are shipped to dinner tables across the nation. In return, these irrigated areas find Farm Machinery and other projects from the manufacturing centers. Betweenhange of goods west and east, north and south, has helped develop Americas Free enterprise prosperity. Hoover dam has pointed the way to the utilization of the Colorado River is resources. Man is adding other mighty reclamation projects to the stairway of dams. Glen canyonarizona, dam has joined hoover dam and conquering the colorado. Potential sites in other canyons await the day when they will cradle mighty multipurpose dams. These developments will write new chapters in the story of hoover dam, truly a modern Civil Engineering wander. Wonder. Tonight, from the american bar Associations Annual meeting, Supreme Court chief test chief Justice John Roberts discusses the magna carta. He reflects on why there was a need for the magna carter. A significant today. You are watching American History tv, all weekend, every weekend. Next, the life of nobel prizewinning economist Milton Friedman and his contributions to the study of economics. He also reflects on his personal relationship with mr. Friedman. The Kansas City Public Library hosted this event. It is about an hour and 15 minutes. Good evening and welcome to the Kansas City Public Library. Im the director of public affairs. We have all heard the old song, the third times the charm. I have a feeling we will see a definitive proof of that hisrtion when he presents third Kansas City Public Library talk and barely more than 18 months. He is offering an original treatise on economist Milton Friedman, the nobel prizewinning intellectual architect of the free market reforms of the postworld war ii era. Today would have been dr. Friedmans 102nd birthday. I have no doubt it will be marks
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