Reid sponsors resolution acknowledging importance of the dam

September 29, 2010

 Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today introduced a resolution in the U.S. Senate recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Hoover Dam, which was dedicated by President Roosevelt September 30, 1935. Senators John Ensign and Diane Feinstein joined Reid as cosponsors on the resolution that was passed by unanimous consent.  The resolution recognized the historical and economic importance of the Hoover Dam and acknowledged the sacrifice of workers to make this most significant hydropower plant.
 
“The Hoover Dam is one of the engineering wonders of the modern world and it has been a critical part of economic growth in Southern Nevada since construction began in 1939,” said Reid. “The dam and the communities that were founded to support its creation are evidence of the enterprising spirit of the west and the dedication of Nevada to a clean energy future.”

Below is the text of the resolution:

“Whereas the Hoover Dam, a concrete arch-gravity storage dam, was built in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River between the States of Nevada and Arizona, forever changing how water is managed across the West;
“Whereas, on September 30, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Hoover Dam;
“Whereas the construction of the Hoover Dam created Lake Mead, a reservoir that can store an amount of water that is equal to 2 years average flow of the Colorado River;
“Whereas the construction of the Hoover Dam provided vitally critical flood control, water supply, and electrical power and helped to create and support the economic growth and development of the Southwestern United States;
“Whereas the Hoover Dam has prevented an estimated $50,000,000,000 in flood damages in the Lower Colorado River Basin;
“Whereas the Hoover Dam provides water for more than 18,000,000 people and 1,000,000 acres of farmland in the States of Arizona, California, and Nevada and 500,000 acres of farmland in Mexico, as well as produces an average of 4,000,000,000 kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power each year;
“Whereas the Hoover Dam, an engineering marvel at 726.4 feet from bedrock to crest, was the highest dam in the world at the time the Hoover Dam was constructed;
“Whereas the Hoover Dam is an enduring symbol of the ingenuity of the United States and the persistence of hardworking Americans during the Great Depression;
“Whereas the Hoover Dam is the model for major water management projects around the world; and
“Whereas the Hoover Dam is registered as a National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered 1 of 7 modern engineering wonders by the American Society of Civil Engineers: Now, therefore, be it
“Resolved, That the Senate—
(1) celebrates and acknowledges the thousands of workers and families that overcame difficult working conditions and great challenges to make construction of the Hoover Dam possible;
(2) celebrates and acknowledges the economic, cultural, and historic significance of the Hoover Dam;
(3) recognizes the past, present, and future benefits of the construction of the Hoover Dam to the agricultural, industrial, and urban development of the Southwestern United States; and
(4) joins the States of Arizona, California, Nevada, and the people of the United States in celebrating the 75th anniversary of the dedication of the Hoover Dam.”