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We Built That — Looking at the Hoover Dam
I have mixed feelings about big dam projects. Some of them are touted as great renewable energy…while messing up water flows over huge areas.
The Hoover Dam is often put in that category. After all, the dam produces enough power to serve 1.3 million people and at one point was the world’s largest hydroelectric installation.
It’s a slightly more complex story, though.
The Salton Basin
It all has to do with the Imperial Valley. Until 300 years ago, the basin was occupied by Lake Cahuilla, but it dried up.
Then white people showed up and saw fertile soil and agricultural productivity. Irrigation started. They may well have been warned by the indigenous people that the valley might turn back into the lake at any time.
They didn’t listen. In 1840, the valley flooded from the Colorado River. And in 1849. And in 1852. And…you get the picture. Despite these floods, the Imperial Canal was built in 1901 to irrigate the valley.
It got blocked. The farmers built a temporary diversion from the river.
The river flooded.
The entire Colorado River flowed into the basin. This flooded massive parts of Imperial valley…and the flood lasted for six years. It didn’t completely dry…