Overflow Tunnels - Arizona Side
One part of Hoover Dam which communicates the size of the place are the overflow
tunnels. These pictures were taken in May 1999 when Lake Mead was at a relatively
high water level.
The best place to get
a look at the back or Lake Mead side of Hoover Dam from is the  Arizona
side. There are a couple of different places to park and each will give
you a different vantage from which to photograph or just look at Hoover
Dam. The overflow tunnels are located on the far right side of the image
where Lake Mead edges against the mountains on the Nevada side. On the
lower left side of the photo, the brown algae discolors the area where
the water overflows. Note that these pictures were taken on April 3,
1999 - well before the current drought.
|
Fortunately for this
we are also able to see what the overflow system looks like when it is being  used.
Surprisingly algae and seaweed grows on the surface of the metal locks and concrete.
We have been told that in the early 90's when Lake Mead was at capacity
and the flow of the Colorado river was up, more water ran over
these gates and one could see some of the large carp which grow in Lake
Mead go over the sides.
|
The size of theses
tunnels can be appreciated when we see them compared to other, familiar  objects.
This picture tries to capture that.
The view is toward the tunnel showing the bridge that goes over to the
Nevada side. We can see the trucks and how small they are in relation to
the tunnel.
With the completion of the Bypass Project, interstate truck traffic will
probably never pass over Hoover Dam again.
|
The water from any
anticipated overflow is intended to flow through these huge tunnels from
 Lake
Mead to the Colorado River almost 700 hundred feet below. The size of
these tunnels is almost frightening. The dimensions are very large, over
60 feet for the tunnel, and the tunnel itself has no daylight at the end
of it. One could imagine what a ride down that thing would be like.
The contrast of the smoothness and light color of the concrete against
the rough and dark rock canyon walls is mitigated by how seamlessly the concrete
fits to the rock surface.
|
|
|
