Preview

Corralled Water: The Hoover Dam

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1083 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Corralled Water: The Hoover Dam
The once untamed Colorado River was set to be cultivated in 1931 by the Bureau of Reclamation. It was to be tamed by the Hoover Dam, the biggest man made thing in the whole world. The place of this great achievement was in between two hulking masses of sedimentary rock at Black Canyon, Nevada. The dam intentionally had its purposes, for example its production would supply jobs in the time of the Great Depression. As well as, curb the rapid floods that frequently deluded Southern California(?). Then in return the Dam would reply with a clean source of electricity to neighboring states as well as distribute water. Though, some unanticipated effects the Dam caused are still marked vaguely into the canyon years later. Despite that, the Hoover …show more content…
Others could be said that it was just as detrimental as it was to help. It did provide jobs, electricity, and water, but the consequences that come with it werent as evident as they are now. The now corralled water has disrupted the natural state of flow and now has dropped in oxygen levels, that affect the livelihood within its depths. Also since the water is being regularly filtered, the water is no longer carrying sediment, so the water is actually more likely to erode the walls of the river faster and more likely. As well as the naturally carved paths that it once flowed will be no longer preserved by the water now that it is being manipulated by the precise distribution to the varying 7 states. With the water distribution organisms are being shifted to new habitats, that are endangering their survival because of the consistency of new life is being introduced to new habitats, that most aren't compatible with. It was considered to be a clean source, but is it? While local tourism and population and economic values are striving from the Hoover Dam, the actual waters are suffering and the site for the things we enjoy today.

While the Hoover Dam is decades old, all the sources and things are not all completely known. For example, the effect on the environment is not surely recorded and known. When the site was changed so dramatically, no real sources were kept on how things were affected when it happened, or even recorded how things were before that. Thus, we cannot know if it was detrimental or not, to make an actual argument or investigation on the matter. While it can be seen now on what it affects, we can’t date it back to

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Floyd Dominy graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1932 and, after an unsuccessful stint as a teacher, became a county agricultural agent for the federal government in Wyoming's Gillette County. This was the time of the Great Depression and also a great drought in the American Midwest, which quickly garnered the name of the "dust bowl." Frustrated by the lack of water available to farmers in his county, Dominy orchestrated the building of many dams in Gillette County, providing water to thirsty farmers and their livestock. Rewarded with a job in the Bureau of Reclamation for his efforts, Dominy became the Bureau's director in 1959 and oversaw the construction of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River.…

    • 1472 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Irrigation changed Yuma/ Southern Arizona in both a positive and negative way. A positive way that irrigation…

    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    rivers were dammed and diverted which in turn caused mass flood and led to the deterioration of…

    • 1299 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    There were many outcomes of the ‘Yuma Project’, many of which were very positive. But there were also a few downsides to the Yuma irrigation idea. Yuma was never noticed before 1912 because Yuma never really had anything. But all of that changed when the flood in 1916 happened and the Laguna Dam and irrigation system was constructed. But it was not easy and a lot of challenges had to be conquered. This is how Yuma conquered those obstacles that were in the way.…

    • 1658 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Yuma Project and irrigation introduced negative consequences but also created some positive aspects. The most prominent negative effect involved the Colorado River. The river was the main source of irrigation for Yuma as it is today. This use caused the Colorado River’s level to be very low by changing the tides and flow. Lowered water levels in the Colorado River caused water shortages and poor…

    • 1568 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “Hetch Hetch Valley” (1912) from American Earth: Environmental Writing Since Thoreau, John Muir argues that Hetch Hetchy Valley should not be dammed and turned into a reservoir. He describes how fantastic and special the Hetch Hetchy Valley is by pointing out to its highlights. Then, he claims that everyone needs material and mental lives. He asserts the natural beauty can provide people a positive attitude toward life. Thus, he blames the advocates damage this beauty for money. The proponents claim that Hetch Hetchy Valley just a normal landscape that people can find lots of others. In addition, it would be more beautiful after being dammed. On the other hand, they also assert that the water in Hetch Hetchy Valley is so pure that it would never been polluted. Therefore, Muir censures the proponents give bad reasons and unreal facts to mislead people and make the dam project reasonable. Furthermore, he against building dam to break these precious wild beauties.…

    • 786 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Two major environmental changes that have affected the Sacramento River include hydraulic mining and agricultural development. Hydraulic mining is a form in which uses high pressured jets of water to move sediments or remove rock material. This tripled the sediment load in the Sacramento River for around 100 years which allowed 1.3 billion cubic yards of sediment to enter the river. This diminished the ability of the river to carry water and increased flood frequency. Hydraulic mining also ruined farmland because of this. With agricultural development, it allowed for “tule lands” or reeds along the river to be developed which was 500,000 acres along the river. Agricultural development also supported vast riparian forest which was 800,000 acres along the river. Change of the land to agriculture transferred ownership to private land owners which ended up restricting public…

    • 662 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Hetch Hechy Research Paper

    • 1514 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Around the 1880’s, the city of San Francisco considered Hetch Hetchy valley as a place to build a reservoir. Yosemite became an enact national park in 1890 while the Sierra Club was formed in 1892 to fight San Francisco’s Mayor James Phelan who filed for water rights to build a dam in 1901 ("New York Times 1913 Editorials Opposing Damming of Hetch Hetchy"). Mayor Phelan request got denied in the following years, but argued that a reservoir would only complement the parks beauty. The earthquakes and fires that happened in San Francisco on 1906 supported the Mayor’s proposal of building the dam. His plans were approved on 1913 and one hundred million dollars and 67 lives later the O’ Shaughnessy dam was completed in 1923 ("New York Times 1913 Editorials Opposing Damming of Hetch Hetchy"). About ten years later water eventually filled the…

    • 1514 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Summary Everything in Its Path, I read that the people that was a part of the Buffalo Creek flood. The people were wounded in spirit, children did not act like children because of what the flood had done to their home. The people that lived in Buffalo, Creek loved the place they called home. Buffalo, Creek is mainly a place where coal mining go on. On February 26th, 1972 the place that was a nice honest place as the people from Buffalo, Creek would say that statement came to an end on that day.…

    • 1953 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Elwha Dam Research Paper

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages

    When the Elwha Dam was demolished it was the largest controlled sediment release in a dam removal project anywhere in the world. Because of the amount of sediment behind large dams like the Elwha, the demolition must be done gradually over time to ensure that there is not an overflow of sediment rushed down the river which could cause significant damage to the landscape and the organisms which inhabit it. At the time of the dam removal the Elwha was holding behind it 15,000,000 cubic yards of silt. Sediment buildup isn't the only thing that dams can change about the soil. Many geological occurrences have been blamed on dams.…

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Grand Coulee Dam Analysis

    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages

    This documentary is narrated by a man named Ben Knight. He is a directed and cinematographer for many film. This film is about the importance and consequences in which dams will provide. Dams are very expensive, take years to build and they are also can be very deadly during the construction phase. However, the cost of removing a dam is just as expensive for tax payers and city legislatures. Dams do provide hydropower energy to generate mills and also provide water storage. Two of the most common dam are: Hoover Dam in Arizona and Grand Coulee Dam in Washington. The Elwha Dam is located in Washington and is the home of the Elwha River. Salmon habitats are a pride and joy in the Elwha River but in 1910 when construction began the habitats were destroyed.…

    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Towards the turn into the 20th century, dams began to affect a process known as salmon runs,…

    • 1666 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In conclusion, the Hoover Dam had a giant impact on Yuma from the physical looks to economic wise. It didn't just change just Yuma it change the whole country and neighboring…

    • 1340 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ecology Of Fear Analysis

    • 466 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Through advancements in technology engineers have made California a livable place. For example, engineers designed aqueducts that transfer water from the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains, to the city of Los Angeles. In which the water will be used by civilians to care for their lawns, gardens, fill pools, and many others needs. Because of this technological advancement, it is possible for Los Angeles to continue thriving, and not turn into a waterless desert. However, the aqueduct has also been the reason behind environmental issues. For example, when the aqueduct was constructed in 1910, it diverted Owens river, which drains the eastern watershed of the Sierra Nevadas, from it original ending point, Owens Lake. By 1920, ten years after the construction of the aqueduct, Owens Lake was found completely dried…

    • 466 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Reading

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Abbey attempts in his article to help the reader visualize Glen Canyon before it was dammed up. He uses a lot of pathos to help the reader "feel" the beauty of the previous Glen Canyon and the ugliness of the present. His article seems to be written not to the supporters of Lake Powell, but to those who side with Abbey, perhaps in an attempt to strengthen their resolve to do something about their beliefs. Abbey advocates the draining and naturalizing of the reservoir, allowing it to regress back to its natural state. Although the author is very talented at using connotations and figurative language, he focuses too much on pathos and a 20th century view of nature and lacks sufficient logos and ethos.…

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays