A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Historically, the Mighty Colorado River sent its boiling, silt-red waters to Baja, California. Now it is a shimmering, beautiful clear blue. The River no longer sporadically carves new river beds and its famous silt load settles behind Glen Canyon Dam. The once tempestuous Colorado has been brought under control through a system of dams, beginning with Glen Canyon in Utah and Arizona and ending with Laguna Dam in the south. The Colorado has been dubbed the most managed, litigated, and debated river in the world. On the other hand, the Colorado contains some of the greatest engineering marvels of the twentieth century. Hoover Dam was the first to tame the river as well as the tallest dam in the world at the time of its construction. Hoover no longer ranks as the highest dam in the world, but all the tall, concrete arch dams owe their existence to Hoover. Among the dams that owe their existence to Hoover are Parker and Davis Dams just downstream. In their own right these two dams also rank as engineering marvels. Parker has the distinction of being the deepest dam in the world with an record setting excavation depth of 250-feet. Built soon after completion of Hoover, Parker put into practice the lessons learned at Hoover. On the other hand, Davis, an earthfill dam, stands nearly as tall above the foundation as Parker Dam does below. Reclamation engineers tamed the Colorado River; much to the dismay of some and the delight of others. The engineering marvels they created stand as testament to the ingenuity of man, as well as their folly.
Historically, the Mighty Colorado River sent its boiling, silt-red waters to Baja, California. Now it is a shimmering, beautiful clear blue. The River no longer sporadically carves new river beds and its famous silt load settles behind Glen Canyon Dam. The once tempestuous Colorado has been brought under control through a system of dams, beginning with Glen Canyon in Utah and Arizona and ending with Laguna Dam in the south. The Colorado has been dubbed the most managed, litigated, and debated river in the world. On the other hand, the Colorado contains some of the greatest engineering marvels of the twentieth century. Hoover Dam was the first to tame the river as well as the tallest dam in the world at the time of its construction. Hoover no longer ranks as the highest dam in the world, but all the tall, concrete arch dams owe their existence to Hoover. Among the dams that owe their existence to Hoover are Parker and Davis Dams just downstream. In their own right these two dams also rank as engineering marvels. Parker has the distinction of being the deepest dam in the world with an record setting excavation depth of 250-feet. Built soon after completion of Hoover, Parker put into practice the lessons learned at Hoover. On the other hand, Davis, an earthfill dam, stands nearly as tall above the foundation as Parker Dam does below. Reclamation engineers tamed the Colorado River; much to the dismay of some and the delight of others. The engineering marvels they created stand as testament to the ingenuity of man, as well as their folly.
Parker-Davis Project
T. R. Linenberger (author)
1997
52 pages
Report
No indication
English
| Engineering Index Backfile | 1940
| Engineering Index Backfile | 1953
Engineering Index Backfile | 1951