GLEN CANYON DAM Glen Canyon }Dam And
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' GLEN CANYON DAM Glen Canyon }Dam and Storage Project the Colorado 1/ River Glen Canyon Dam is the biggest-and the most import -dam in the Colorado River Storage Project. A c crete-arch dam, it stores water in Lake Powell, reservoir created by the dam, to meet downstream c mitments. Controlled releases of water through giant turbines generate great amounts of hydroelec power, which is then used by cities and industries in Intermountain West. The revenue from CRSP hyc Irrigation in the Upp er BC1Sin power not only repays the cost of Glen Canyon Dam, also helps pay for the many Federal Reclamation proj, in the Upper Basin of the Colorado River. These we projects, which irrigate the land and supply munici water and other benefits, are called participa projects. The Bureau of Reclurr.ation's Colorado River Stor, Project is one of the most far-reaching examples regionwide water development programs in the Un Sta tes. Since it was authorized in 1956, 3 major ston dams-Glen Canyon, Flaming Gorge, a nd Nava j have been completed. The 3 dams of the Curecc Unit are now under construction. By 1966, farmers and ranchers were rece1vmg we from 6 completed participating projects, and 6 more w under construction. Additional participating proje have been authorized and others are in various stage Paonia Dam-A participa ting project investigation to determine their feasibility. Presently authorized features of the CRSP will cost al: $1 billion. Roughly, 92 percent of the Bureau of Re motion cost will be repaid to the Federal Treas1 THE STORAGE UNITS principally through the sale of CRSP power producec Glen Canyon Dam and at the other CRSP hydropla Glen Canyon Dam Flaming G orge Dam Nava jo Dam Cu recanti Unit Dam The large water storage capacity of Lake Powell million acre-feet) permits long-term, cyclica l storage < -..,,_ also can be used to meet downstrea m water commitme "'. This regulation will permit better utilization of wate: the upstream basin. Glen Canyon Dam was built as a benefit to all Americc Whether you live in the city or on the farm, using we made available by the CRSP, or whether you com1 fish, to go boating, or just to sightsee, the Colorado R: Storage Project belongs to you and can be enjoyed by 1 It is an investment in the future of America. Building the Dam and Bridge, 1 956-64 HOW MUCH? HOW LONG? HOW BIG? EXCAVATION (To prepare damsite and power plant): Total: 5,509,484 cubic yards of rock and sand, including: 18,000 feel of tunnels. 127 feel (maximum) below original river channel. DAM AND POWERPLANT (The materials) : 592,000 tons of cement (12,595,745 socks). 204,360 tons of pozz.olan. 9,502,000 tons of rock and sand (concrete aggregates). GLEN CANYON BRIDGE (The world's highest steel arch bridge) : Height above river .. ... ... ..................... .........•. 700 feet Span of bridge arch ................................... .. 1,028 feet Length of deck ................................................. 1,271 feet Vertical rise of arch .........•... ........................ .. 165 feet Width of roadway..... ....................................... ..30 feet GLEN CANYON DAM (The statistics) : Height above bedrock........... ... ... 710 feet Shaping the Height above original river channel..................... 583 feet darnaite, 1957 Thickness a t foundation (ot lowest point)... ............. 300 feet Maximum thickness (al right abubnent) .. •......... ., ..350 feet Thickness at crest.. ............ .................................... 25 feet Crest length (arc length al axis of dam) .................. 1,560 feet Volume of concrete: Dam only ... 4,901 ,000 cubic yards Powerplont and miscellaneous 469,000 cubic yards Total concrete . ..... ... .. 5,370,000 cubic yards Glen Canyon Bridge grows, 1958 Hydro Electric Power Electrical energy means transmission lines, with high steel towers to carry the long aluminum conductors, which measure up to about 11 3 inches in diameter Glen Canyon Unseen by the visitor, but vitally power (900,000 kilowatts) is tied in important, is the installation of tur with powerplants at Flaming Gorge bines and generators now underway Dam, the Curecanti Unit dams, and in the Glen Canyon Powerplant. with other smaller CRSP powerplants The 8 generators have a total which, when completed, will produce capacity of 900,000 kilowatts a combined total of 1.351,500 enough electricity for a city of kilowatts for the system. Total l million people. When ordered, length of the Federal "backbone" the generators were the largest transmission line approaches 2, 100 ever to be installed in a Bureau of miles. Interconnecting lines, both Reclamation powerplant. The fir~t private and public, total many units began production of hydrc, thousands of miles in length and electric power in 1964. The eighth carry CRSP power to major metro and last generator was "put on the politan areas and to rural areas of line" in February 1966. the Intermountam West. ¥ ' Lake Powell "Lake Powell is an indescribably green body of water of labyrinthine proportions completely sur rounded by a continent of red sand and rock. It is the only instance on record wherein a sizeable portion of this planet has been improved on by the coming of man." This statement, made by the editor of a regional newspaper, may or may not be fully accurate. But it is representative of public reaction to Lake Powell, whose beauty must be seen to be believed. For those who are statistically minded, Lake Powell, when full, will contain 27 million a cre-feet of water. The lake covers 186 miles of the Colora do River upstream from Glen Canyon Dam. There will be 1.900 miles of shoreline to explore! Many agencies are helping develop the recreation potential of this va st, manmade lake. ThA Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior, working with the States of Utah and Arizona, has \ I .......... ,' planted millions of trout and bass in the lake. The I ,-- .\ ,, National Park Service, also in this Department, 8 administers the lake and nearby area as the Glen NlVllO MAllOHAL MON,Ulli1UH KayentaJ .../'"" ,.;' • /'\ (6~ \ Canyon National Recreation Area. At the main ~ R:I V A T 1/0 N access points, recreation facilities marinas, swim N_J! _/\)~ '1,N -:t~ A N \,,R E S E ming beaches, boat ramps, and the like-have been \. v \, .., ,---'I '-·\, ! developed. I I i For further information on recreation opportunities, HOPI conta ct the Superintendent, Glen Canyon Nationa l \ Recreation Area, National Park Service, P.O. Box INOIAN j---- ·- 1507, Page, Ariz. 1 W,odoj --PAVED ROAD ~O<~J - -- DIRT ROAD ---·-' Motion pictures in 16-mm. color, with sound, on the subjects of Glen Can Inlb a01l9ned function a a lhe Nation' a principal n yon Dam and the CRSP are available re90u.rce a9ency, the Department of the Interior a apeclal obliqatlon lo OOIUre thal our upendal for loan. Send your requests to: eource1 a re con1erved, that renewable re110urc1 Chief Engineer, Bureau of Reclama manaqed to produce optimum yleld1, and that .ource1 contribute their full mea 1ure to the pre tion, Building 53, Denver Federal rotperity, and 1ecurity of Americ a, now and Center, Denver, Colo., 80225. Film f.uture. catalogs are also available. US, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ; IMt-0-2 .