Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
August 2, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Field Notes • Engineering

Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam on the Colorado River at the border of Nevada and Arizona, United States.

Updated August 2, 20261 min readCited sources

Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam on the Colorado River at the Nevada–Arizona border, completed in 1936 and widely regarded as an engineering landmark.

What it is

Hoover Dam is a 726-foot-tall concrete arch-gravity dam that impounds Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States. It was built between 1931 and 1936 for flood control, water storage, irrigation, and hydroelectric power generation.

Why it matters

The dam generates about 4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, serving roughly 1.3 million people. Its water and power benefits extend across Nevada, Arizona, and California, supporting the growth of the American Southwest and the Las Vegas region.

Key details

Named after President Herbert Hoover, the dam is 1,244 feet long at the crest and was a major federal project during the Great Depression. It remains a tourist destination and a key piece of North American water management infrastructure.

In short

  • Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam on the Colorado River between Nevada and Arizona.
  • Completed in 1936, it creates Lake Mead, the largest U.S. reservoir.
  • It provides flood control, irrigation, water supply, and hydroelectric power to millions.
  • The dam is named after President Herbert Hoover and is a major engineering landmark.
Canadian angle

Hoover Dam is relevant to Canadian readers mainly as a landmark of North American engineering and water management. It is often studied in civil engineering and infrastructure history, but it has no direct Canadian location or ownership.

Quick questions

Where is Hoover Dam located?
It is on the Colorado River in Black Canyon, on the border between Nevada and Arizona in the United States.
When was Hoover Dam completed?
It was completed in 1936, after construction that began in 1931.
Why is it called Hoover Dam?
It is named after President Herbert Hoover, who was closely involved in the project’s early development.

Sources

  1. Hoover Presidential Library and Museum — https://hoover.archives.gov/hoovers/hoover-dam
    Supports: Naming, purposes, and general significance of Hoover Dam
  2. American Society of Civil Engineers — https://www.asce.org/about-civil-engineering/history-and-heritage/historic-landmarks/hoover-dam
    Supports: Completion date, height, and landmark status
  3. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hoover-Dam
    Supports: Location, construction period, dimensions, reservoir, and uses
  4. National Park Service — https://www.nps.gov/articles/nevada-and-arizona-hoover-dam.htm
    Supports: Physical description, irrigation and water-supply functions, and regional significance
  5. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation — https://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/pao/faq.html
    Supports: Construction facts, materials, and completion timeline
  6. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation — https://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/faqs/powerfaq.html
    Supports: Hydroelectric output and power-service estimates
  7. U.S. Census Bureau — https://www.census.gov/about/history/stories/monthly/2025/september-2025.html
    Supports: Lake Mead significance and power output