The reservoir for Lake Mead was created by Hoover Dam
You may be following the progress of the construction of a new intake structure that will carry water from Lake Mead to supply 90% of Las Vegas’ water supply. Several articles have been in the news lately. You are likely aware that Lake Mead’s existence is courtesy of the Hoover Dam, thus the MK connection. Because of the long-term drought, Lake Mead’s water level is dropping below the current intake and threatening to shut-off water to Las Vegas. The drilling process (a six hundred foot elevator shaft near the shore of Lake Mead and a three-mile route under the lake) is complete and the next step is expected to be completed by late August or early September. As a recent article written by Conor Shine for the Las Vegas Sun stated, “the weight of Las Vegas’ future rests on a 19,000-pound plug at the mouth of a three-mile tunnel… Pulling the plug (that sits atop a domed cavern beneath the lake, holding back the pressure of millions of acre-feet of water) situated at the end of tunnel will be the final step of a seven-year, $817 million project that has seen construction crews pull off a feat of engineering unlike anything else in the world.” Now, I might like to take a little exception to that last comment—yes, this Las Vegas water project is certainly amazing, but I feel that for its time, the Hoover Dam Project was likely one of the most impressive engineering and construction feats ever and its completion was nearly unfathomable. Hoover Dam was one of Morrison Knudsen Company’s turning points in gaining recognition and moving into the ranks of a world class construction engineering company.
MK Retiree, Mac Hartley, wrote a post to our EmKayan’s Blog offering a link he had found to a well-written article on the Hoover Dam. Here is the link, I hope you enjoy reading more about the Hoover Dam Project: http://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/Hoover-Dam-A-Symbol-of-Simple-Strength/25382/ Thank you, Mac!