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More Hoover Dam history

rrrr

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I found this document with a Google search. Written as an adjunct to a 75th anniversary symposium about the dam, it's titled:

Hoover Dam: Operational Milestones, Lessons Learned, and Strategic Import

While it's written by and for scholars, it isn't that difficult to read, and most of it is understandable to the average person. If there are any RDP members that are geologists, they will find it most interesting. I found another PDF file that discusses the site geology in detail, if anyone is interested let me know and I'll post a link.

Check it out, even if you just look at the drawings and photos. They are fascinating. The first drawing is a cross section of the turbines, and there is also a photo of the turbine hall showing a 500 ton rotor being lowered into the stator casing of one of the 8,250 mVA generators using both of the 300 ton overhead cranes The document is on the webpage link in HTML, but if you download the PDF the photos are much better quality.

I know this will peg some people's geek meter, but you can't look at boating and sex all the time. :D

https://www.researchgate.net/public...lestones_Lessons_Learned_and_Strategic_Import
 
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rrrr

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Here's a photo of one of the generators, taken after the rotor was installed and the covering structure was erected, and before the exciter section was set on top of the unit.

The generators were built and installed over a period of 25 years, and have varying capacities. Because of the span of years, the equipment is not identical. There are five turbine designs in operation at the dam. The largest generators produce 130 megawatts.

The peak output available from all 17 generators is 2,075 megawatts. This amount of power can only be produced when Lake Mead is at or near its peak elevation of 1,220'. Because lake levels are now around 1,090', the generators' peak output is about 1,700 megawatts, a reduction of 375 megawatts.

That's because the lowered water level has reduced the head pressure at the turbines, lowering the available horsepower to turn them. The maximum water flow rate through the larger turbines is 3,600 cubic feet per second.



http3A2F2Fa.amz_.mshcdn.com2Fwp-content2Fuploads2F20152F092Fhooverdam-39.jpg
 
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Echo Lodge

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Fun Fact!

Along the way Hoover Dam was the first dam to
be singled out as a terrorist target (by German agents) and provided electricity for the
world’s largest magnesium production facility from 1942 onward.
 

Taboma

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rrrr, I enjoyed reading that, thanks for posting !!

Just curious --- with so many here owning homes downstream of Glen Canyon, Hoover, Davis and Parker Dams, has anybody found Federal, State, or local "Emergency" mapping revealing a damage assessment or flood zones should a major upstream failure occur ? The federal documentation I've read (FEMA, Army Corp etc) offer general guidelines and mostly pretty pictures with a lot of Blah, Blah, Blah, generalizes about surveys and studies and more Blah Blah Blah ---- but no substance. Then the FEMA brochure directs us to contact our state or local office of Emergency Management for more local info and flood zone mapping.
I can't find shit for Mohave county other than more 'Be Prepared' Blah, Blah, Blah :mad:
I found a record of a meeting in Bullhead City where a "Dam" expert gave a talk, mentioned highway 95 by the Safeway being 30' underwater. BUT no worries, they figure you'll have an hour's notice to evacuate --- NICE :rolleyes:
Found general Colorado River failure flooding info for Riverside County CA (No detailed maps), mentions Blythe at 203' elev. being underwater ---- BUT not to worry, if Hoover Dam fails you'll have 23 hours to blow the joint. o_O

So how's about it, anybody have or seen a map for just how fucked Havasu would be in the unlikely event (Although I felt better before I read rrrr's link) of a major upstream failure ?
 

rrrr

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Taboma, the plan is in an envelope and kept in a sealed case with a glass front. In an emergency, the glass is supposed to be shattered, and the envelope opened.

There are just seven words printed on the heavy parchment:

Bend over and kiss your ass goodbye.

:D
 

mash on it

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If you ever driven around the Bullhead area, there are flood evacuation signs on certain roads.

With Davis/Mohave at full pool (647'), and Bullhead/Laughlin at 505' msl, if there was a complete and instant dam failure, a 142 foot tall wall of water is on its way...

My boat ain't that fast...

Dan'l
 

beaverretriever

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Fun Fact!

Along the way Hoover Dam was the first dam to
be singled out as a terrorist target (by German agents).

Wow, that is fun. :D


My parents have lived in BC for 15 years and I lived in Henderson for 10. Never gets old seeing that magnificent piece of engineering. I could only imagine how bad ass and tough those workers were living in BC with no AC in and working 15 hour days on that thing. People were so much tougher then.
 

Enen

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If you take 1.21 gigawats and you subtract 2,075 megawatts of Hoover Dam's max capacity, how much power do you have left? :D
 

HALLETT BOY

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Wow, that is fun. :D


My parents have lived in BC for 15 years and I lived in Henderson for 10. Never gets old seeing that magnificent piece of engineering. I could only imagine how bad ass and tough those workers were living in BC with no AC in and working 15 hour days on that thing. People were so much tougher then.
But we do tend to live a little longer ...
 

nowski

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My buddies dad was a machinist at the Hoover Dam back in the 60's and 70's. He use to tell us Big Stories about the dam. Until I visited the dam those stories were finally put into perspective, Damn...
 

rrrr

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If you take 1.21 gigawats and you subtract 2,075 megawatts of Hoover Dam's max capacity, how much power do you have left? :D

Minus 865 megawatts and darkness.


🤪
 

Water Romper

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What a amazing feat for mankind to engineer something like this.. incredible marvel of ingenuity and grit (the builders must of been pretty bad ass)
...and I was happy i replaced my own outlet in my garage!

Thanks for posting this. Not that it matters, do we know the general hourly rate for the workers back then (1931)? It was a depression era project so I am sure it wasn't what it should have been but for these guys, ANY work to feed and provide for your family must have been a blessing although 100 men lost their lives making this Dam.
 

J DUNN

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If you want a good fictional read on the dams busting and Colorado being flooded, read Wet Desert, by Gary Hansen. Gary is a friend of mine that grew up boating the Colorado from Powell to Lower River. He includes great side plots that keep you engaged and give great perspective to boaters on Powell or down river during dam breaks.
The main plot is about a terrorist. Great read, I think I've read 3 or 4 times, very entertaining.


Wet Dessert on Amazon
 

The Prisoner

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When I moved here in 83 it was the only time I saw the spillways filled. Too bad it doesn’t rain like that anymore. I actually have a picture of my neighbor at the time who took his jet ski through the wash behind where Walmart in kingman is now to Northern ave and back.
 

The Prisoner

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How cool would time lapse construction video would have been on that like they have today?
 

mothershipper

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If you ever driven around the Bullhead area, there are flood evacuation signs on certain roads.

With Davis/Mohave at full pool (647'), and Bullhead/Laughlin at 505' msl, if there was a complete and instant dam failure, a 142 foot tall wall of water is on its way...

My boat ain't that fast...

Dan'l
Naa, you just would need a bigger prop.............
 

TX Foilhead

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If I had to guess, I would think that those generators can make most of the power today even at the lower water levels. The dams where I work are starting our 2nd rewind in about 80 years. Due to updates that can be made while everything is apart the generators will make more power than they did originally. I’m sure everything in Hoover dam has been through this process, probably more than once.

We have lots of old pictures from when they were building the dams back in the 20’s and 30’s and when ever we start putting things back together we take the same pics the the current crews.
 

Taboma

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what an amazing concept. 👍
You take thousands of out of work and otherwise homeless workers, give them a job to do, room and board, they accomplish great things for the nation, while earning income, a roof over their heads, money for their families, and experience they can take with them moving forward.
We've got an untold number of infrastructure projects crying for attention, but it would be mean and inhumane to actually ask them to do something meaningful. 🤯
 

rivermobster

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If I had to guess, I would think that those generators can make most of the power today even at the lower water levels. The dams where I work are starting our 2nd rewind in about 80 years. Due to updates that can be made while everything is apart the generators will make more power than they did originally. I’m sure everything in Hoover dam has been through this process, probably more than once.

We have lots of old pictures from when they were building the dams back in the 20’s and 30’s and when ever we start putting things back together we take the same pics the the current crews.

Less talk. More pics...

😉
 
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