question: How to build major dams like Hoover Dam.
comment: In very simple terms: First, you have to divert the water around where the dam will sit. So you build tunnels so the water can flow around the site, then you build two earth dams upstream and downstream. This dries the site out. While you're doing that, you also cut into the side of the canyon so the dam has someplace to hold onto. Then, you build the foundation. You remove the river bed down to bedrock (typically) by digging it out, and then you place steel bar to make the concrete stronger, then you pour concrete around the steel bar. You work your way up, continuing to pour concrete. While you're doing this, you either need to cut more tunnels around the dam that you can use to move the water to the turbines (the equipment that is used to generate electricity), or you have to include those tunnels in the dam itself. Eventually, you get to the top of the dam. You need to wait a little bit so the concrete gets strong enough, and then you remove those two little earth dams you built at the very beginning. The water drops for a bit, so you can close up the diversion tunnels (those tunnels you built at the beginning to move the river around the site), and then, slowly, the water behind the dam fills up. During all of this, you've built the generator houses, which house the electrical generators. Once the water behind the dam has filled up, you open up the generator tunnels so water flows down those tunnels, spins the generator, which creates electricity. And now you have a fully functioning hydroelectric dam.
passages: Section::::Construction.:Groundworks, rock clearance and grout curtain.
   Section::::History and construction.
   Section::::Construction.:Dedication and completion.
   Section::::Operation.:Roadway and tourism.
   Section::::Construction.
  
  Section::::Construction.:Preparations and camps.
   Section::::Background.:Planning and agreements.
   Section::::Construction.:Concrete.
   Section::::History.:Site selection.
   Rusty Noonan is a mechanic in Detroit, Michigan. During an altercation with his boss he kills the man in self-defense. After fleeing Detroit he finds himself in Las Vegas, Nevada. He befriends a woman name Ann and finds work helping construct the Hoover Dam. Eventually Rusty sees the error in his past behavior and sets out to change himself.
  
  BULLET::::- Ross Alexander as Rusty Noonan
  
  BULLET::::- Patricia Ellis as Ann Vangarick
  
  BULLET::::- Lyle Talbot as Lacy
  
  BULLET::::- Eddie Acuff as Ed Harper
  
  BULLET::::- Henry O'Neill as Mr. Agnew
  
  BULLET::::- Egon Brecher as Pa Vangarick
  
  BULLET::::- Eleanor Wesselhoeft as Ma Vangarick
   Section::::Construction.:Concrete placement and river diversion.
   Section::::Construction.
   BULLET::::- Elk River Dam — Woods Reservoir; on the Elk River; finished in 1952 by the Corps of Engineers, to provide cooling water for the U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center
  
  BULLET::::- Fall Creek Falls Dam — Fall Creek Falls Reservoir; on Falls Creek; finished in 1970 by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
  
  BULLET::::- Fort Loudoun Dam — Fort Loudoun Lake; on the Tennessee River; finished in 1943 by the TVA
  
  BULLET::::- Fort Patrick Henry Dam — Fort Patrick Henry Lake; on the South Fork Holston River; finished in 1953 by the TVA
   Section::::History.:Construction.
   BULLET::::- Horsetooth Dam – Horsetooth Reservoir, built as part of the Colorado-Big Thompson project
  
  BULLET::::- John Martin Reservoir
  
  BULLET::::- McNulty Reservoir Dam
  
  BULLET::::- McPhee Dam – McPhee Reservoir
  
  BULLET::::- Morrow Point Dam – Morrow Point Reservoir
  
  BULLET::::- Mount Elbert Forebay Dam
  
  BULLET::::- Navajo Reservoir
  
  BULLET::::- Olympus Dam in Estes Park, Colorado, built as part of the Colorado-Big Thompson project
  
  BULLET::::- Quincy Reservoir, in Aurora
  
  BULLET::::- Ralston Dam
  
  BULLET::::- Ridgway Dam – Ridgway Reservoir, built as part of the Dallas Creek Project
  
  BULLET::::- Silver Jack Dam – Silver Jack Reservoir, part of the Bostwick Park Project
  
  BULLET::::- Trinidad Dam
   The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was involved in the testing of the concrete for the dam. Drums of aggregates, cement, sand and soil were shipped to their North Pacific Division Materials Laboratory in Troutdale, Oregon. The materials were separated and tested for various properties. RCC concrete cylinders and beams were batched and poured. Tests were performed, for 7, 28, 90, 180 and 365 days. Tests included compressive strength, tensile strength, expansion, and slow load beams. The testing required almost 2 years to complete.
  
  Section::::Design.
   Section::::See also.
  
  BULLET::::- Blackhawk Park
  
  BULLET::::- Public Works Administration dams list
  
  BULLET::::- Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
  
  Section::::External links.
  
  BULLET::::- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District: Lock and Dam 9
  
  BULLET::::- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District: Lock and Dam 9 brochure
  
  BULLET::::- Blackhawk Park - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park
  
  BULLET::::- Lock and Dam No. 9 Fishing Forum
  
  BULLET::::- USGS Reach 1, Pool 9
  
  BULLET::::- Survey number HAER WI-50 - Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Channel, Lock & Dam No. 9, Lynxville vicinity, Crawford County, WI
   Section::::Design and operations.
   Section::::Operation.
  
  Section::::Operation.:Power plant and water demands.
   Section::::Economic investment and opportunity.:Local community and workers.
   Section::::Construction.
  
  Section::::Construction.:Site preparation.
   BULLET::::- Westville Dam – Quinebaug River
  
  BULLET::::- Whittenton Street Dam – Mill River (removed)
  
  BULLET::::- Willow Avenue Dam – Meadow Brook
  
  BULLET::::- Winnetuxet Road Dam – Winnetuxet River
  
  BULLET::::- Winsor Dam – Quabbin Reservoir
  
  BULLET::::- Wrights Complex Lower Dam – concrete and cut stone masonry – Quaboag River
  
  Section::::Mississippi.
  
  BULLET::::- Aberdeen Lock and Dam – Aberdeen Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Jamie Whitten Lock and Dam
  
  BULLET::::- John C. Stennis Lock and Dam – Columbus Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Okatibbee Dam
  
  BULLET::::- Ross Barnett Reservoir and Spillway
  
  BULLET::::- Grenada Lake
  
  Section::::Missouri.
  
  BULLET::::- Amarugia Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Atkinson Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Bean Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Big Lake
   BULLET::::- Jim Woodruff Dam – Lake Seminole; on Apalachicola River; built by USACE
  
  BULLET::::- Kelly Barnes Dam – Toccoa Falls, failed in 1977 killing 39 people
  
  BULLET::::- Lake Blackshear Dam – Lake Blackshear
  
  BULLET::::- Morgan Falls Dam – Bull Sluice Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Nottely Dam – Nottely Reservoir; on the Nottely River; finished in 1942 by the TVA
  
  BULLET::::- Oliver Dam – Lake Oliver
  
  BULLET::::- Richard B. Russell Dam – Richard B. Russell Lake, also in South Carolina
  
  BULLET::::- Sinclair Dam – Lake Sinclair
  
  BULLET::::- Wallace Dam – Lake Oconee
   BULLET::::- 1934 "The Silver Streak" features a team of doctors racing to transport an iron lung to Hoover Dam after a worker is injured during construction.
  
  BULLET::::- 1936 The protagonist of the 1936 drama film "Boulder Dam" works on the construction of the dam. The protagonist (Rusty) sees his character change as the dam is constructed.
  
  BULLET::::- 1964 The protagonists of "Viva Las Vegas" view the Hoover Dam, along with other Las Vegas landmarks, as part of a montage.
   While visiting Germany as part of his research for "The Great Escape", Brickhill took the opportunity to visit the Ruhr valley to see the dams attacked during Operation Chastise.
   BULLET::::- Upper Big Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Vandalia Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Wappapello Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Weatherby Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Williams Creek Lake
  
  Section::::New Mexico.
  
  BULLET::::- Abiquiu Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Bluewater Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Cochiti Dam
  
  BULLET::::- Conchas Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Elephant Butte Dike
  
  BULLET::::- El Vado Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Galisteo Dam
  
  BULLET::::- Heron Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Jemez Canyon Dam
  
  BULLET::::- Navajo Lake
  
  BULLET::::- Santa Rosa Dam
  
  BULLET::::- Two Rivers Dam
  
  BULLET::::- Ute Dam
  
  Section::::North Carolina.
  
  BULLET::::- Apalachia Dam – Apalachia Reservoir; on the Hiwassee River; finished in 1943 by the TVA
  
  BULLET::::- Cheoah Dam – built in 1919 and owned by Alcoa
  