The Current
Reclamation's Biweekly Newsletter
July 13, 2018
Summer is a busy time for people traveling throughout the country. The Bureau of Reclamation has several visitor centers at facilities across the West that share the benefits and history of these dams and facilities. If you are traveling this summer in an area where these visitor centers are located, please stop by and learn about these wonderful facilities.
Carl Hayden Visitor Center at Glen Canyon Dam (Arizona)
The Carl Hayden Visitor Center at Glen Canyon Dam is located in Page, Arizona, and features interactive exhibits, introductory films, a relief map of the entire Glen Canyon area. There are tours of the dam for $5. Glen Canyon Dam is the second highest concrete-arch dam in the United States, standing 710 feet tall. The 26.2 million acre-feet of water storage capacity in Lake Powell, created by Glen Canyon Dam, serves as a ‘bank account’ of water that is drawn on in times of drought. Learn more →
Flaming Gorge Dam Visitor Center (Utah)
The Flaming Gorge Dam and Visitor Center is located in Dutch John, Utah, and provides information on Flaming Gorge Dam and National Recreation Area. The visitor center here is a great place to start any tour of Flaming Gorge Country. A large 3D model, on-going films and interpretive displays give one a good overview of the myriad of recreational opportunities that await. Tours of the dam are available daily from April 15 through October 15. Learn more →
Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center (Washington)
Grand Coulee Dam is one of the largest concrete structures in the world. It contains nearly 12 million cubic yards of concrete, enough to build a sidewalk four feet wide and four inches thick and wrap it twice around the equator. A laser light show, One River, Many Voices, is shown nightly on the face of the dam from Memorial Day weekend through September 30. The visitor center contains exhibits depicting Grand Coulee Dam’s role as a primary irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric dam on the Columbia River. The exhibits also address the effects the dam has had on various groups of people, including Native Americans and early settlers. Learn more →
Hoover Dam (Nevada/Arizona)
Hoover Dam is a testimony to a country's ability to construct monolithic projects in the midst of adverse conditions. Located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, it took less than five years, in a harsh and barren land, to build the largest dam of its time. Now, years later, Hoover Dam still stands as a world-renowned structure. The dam is a National Historic Landmark and has been rated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of America's Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders. The visitor center is open daily with three different tour options of the dam. Learn more →
Hungry Horse Dam (Montana)
Hungry Horse Dam is on the South Fork of the Flathead River, 10 miles south of the west entrance to Glacier National Park and 20 miles northeast of Kalispell, Montana. The Hungry Horse Project includes the dam, reservoir, powerplant, visitor center, unique glory hole spillway, and switchyard. At the time of its completion, Hungry Horse was the third largest dam and the second highest concrete dam in the world. The visitor center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. beginning May 27 through September 10, although these dates are subject to change. Learn more →
Shasta Dam (California)
Shasta Dam is located about nine miles northwest of Redding, California, on the Sacramento River. Built during the seven-year period between 1938 and 1945, the dam is a 602-foot-high concrete gravity dam, which provides flood control, power, and water supply benefits. The tour staff at Shasta Dam invites you to take a free guided tour of the dam and power plant. Tours are offered 7 days a week. It includes going into the dam where guides will discuss the history, purpose and construction of this huge project. After the short walk through the dam, the tour visits the powerhouse for a chance to view California’s largest hydroelectric generating station. Learn more →
Yellowtail Dam Visitor Center (Montana)
Yellowtail dam is located in Fort Smith, Montana, and is a multi-purpose development providing irrigation water, flood control, recreation and power generation. The visitor center includes two films and several exhibits. It is open daily between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. The dam is not accessible for tours. Learn more →
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