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Welcome to the first edition of “Pumps Make it Possible,” our new recurring feature in which I, Inspector Pumphead, will talk about the different aspects of human life and society that would be impossible without pumps. Many of these things happen without people knowing it. In fact, the pump is actually the second most-used piece of machinery in the world, after the motor.

In case you missed it, here’s the introductory blog: Pumps Make It Possible: An Introduction.

Pumps Make the Hoover Dam Possible

With outdoor recreation season starting for many of our nation’s parks and landmarks*, I thought it would be a good idea to tackle a landmark that is made possible by pumps. Thus, In today’s edition, I’ll examine the Hoover Dam.

*(Incidentally, lottery applications for many U.S. Recreation activities across the country are now open. I highly encourage you to apply! See here: https://www.recreation.gov/marketing.do?goto=acm/faqs/lotteries.htm)

The Hoover Dam is one of the most famous man-made constructs in the world. It serves as reservoir, flood-prevention insurance, an irrigation source, the supplier of hydroelectric power to millions of Americans. It is a useful transportation point between Arizona and Nevada. Millions of tourists from around the country, and indeed, the world, visit the Hoover Dam every year. At the time of its construction, it was the biggest dam and the largest concrete structure in the world.

A marvel of engineering, planning, manpower and resource management, the Hoover Dam produces over 4.5 billion kilowatt hours to serve the electrical usage of over 8 million people in Arizona, Nevada and Southern California, according to the Power Authority. Would the famous Las Vegas Strip light up the same way without the Dam? Lake Mead, the reservoir that was created during the construction of the dam project can hold up to 10 trillion gallons of water at full capacity, according to some estimates. Imagine if the Dam broke?

So the importance and awesomeness of the Hoover Dam is clear. Heavy duty industrial pumps play an integral role in the operation of the dam. Pumping stations on Lake Mead, each with over 30 pumps, draw water from the lake to transport to the dam. These pumping stations are especially critical when the water level in the lake is low, as happened during drought periods in 2015.

Another pumping station is currently being built at an estimated cost of $650 million, due to be completed in 2020. This just shows the importance of pumps in keeping one of America’s most important pieces of infrastructure operating and the value that pumps have generally.

In the future, we will tackle how other landmarks and important pieces of infrastructure are powered by pumps. If you have any suggestions for future #MadePossibleByPumps projects, be sure to comment or email!

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