The Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam is a giant concrete dam on the border of Nevada and Arizona. It holds back the Colorado River and creates Lake Mead, one of the largest man-made lakes in the United States. The dam provides water and electricity to millions of people in the southwestern states.

Building the Dam

The Hoover Dam was built during the Great Depression in the 1930s. About 21,000 workers helped build it over five years. The dam is 726 feet tall, about as tall as a 60-story building. Workers poured enough concrete to build a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York City. It was finished two years ahead of schedule.

Power and Water

The Hoover Dam makes enough electricity to serve about 1.3 million people. Water from Lake Mead provides drinking water to cities like Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The dam also helps control flooding along the Colorado River. It is one of the most important pieces of infrastructure in the American West.

Fun Facts

• The concrete in the Hoover Dam is so thick that it is still getting harder, even after almost 100 years.
• Lake Mead can hold enough water to cover the entire state of Connecticut 10 feet deep.
• The dam was originally called Boulder Dam. It was renamed after President Herbert Hoover.

Did You Know?

The Hoover Dam sits on the border between two time zones. If you stand on one side of the dam, it is a different hour than on the other side!