What are the negative and positive impacts of the Hoover Dam?

Answer 1

Hoover Dam construction put many laborers to work for relatively good wages during the Great Depression. The power and water from the project created additional opportunities for growth in southern Nevada, Southern California, and eventually central Arizona. Control of the water allowed production of great crops in deserts from the Imperial Valley to near Phoenix. Lake Mead provides extensive flatwater recreation opportunities in a dry landscape. Problems occurred with eventual overuse of the water from the Colorado River among the states in the basin, along with controversies for allocation of the water that continue to grow today. Ecological effects of the dams and diversions include changing the flow so that the river no longer flows into Mexico, the water temperature is lower which affects certain native fish, and quagga mussels have invaded Lake Mead and clog water distribution facilities. Lake Mead elevation has dropped to the extent that some marinas have closed. Sediment is filling the Lake Mead bottom at an alarming rate, despite Glen Canyon Dam catching some sediment about 270 miles upstream, and the first 10 miles of the reservoir below the Grand Canyon are mostly filled with sediment already. Las Vegas has recently sought water from underground basins in eastern Nevada to fill projected future demands from the city's growth beyond what is now expected from Lake Mead.

Answer 2

Pros: it put 21,000 men to work, that had been unemployed. It spurred the creation of Boulder City, Nevada. It spurred the growth of Las Vegas (the workers were unable to gamble in Boulder City, so on the weekends they traveled to Las Vegas and gambled there.) The dam produces electricity through the use of the hydroelectricity, giving power to homes in Nevada, Colorado and California

Cons: The official number of people that died was 96, but some reports put the fatality rate as high as 112. To fund the dam, the Hoover administration had to go further into debt by using deficit spending.

Answer 3

The Positive sides about the Hoover Dam is that it provides H.E.P (Hydro-electric Power) that offers to millions of people. The main purpose of it, which is also a Positive, is that it controls the water to prevent flooding on the Colorado River.

The Negative side to the Hoover Dam is that Silt builds up on one side of the Dam. The cost to build the Hoover Dam was extremely expensive and would take several decades in order for it to become profitable.

Answer 4

The Hoover Dam provides a supply of water for many cities, including Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix. It is used to generate Hydrolectric Power (HEP) which relases no pollutants. Obviously, the Dam is used to prevent flooding in the seven states in which it runs through. It is also used for irrigation.

Answer 5

It is a really cool scene.

Answer 6

If there was a bad storm the dam could break and cause major flooding