Davis Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Davis Dam |
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Davis Dam
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| Official name | Davis Dam |
| Location | Clark County, Nevada / Mohave County, Arizona, USA |
| Coordinates | 35°11′56″N 114°34′10″W / 35.19876°N 114.56949°W |
| Opening date | 1951 |
| Operator(s) | U.S. Bureau of Reclamation |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Colorado River |
| Height | 200 feet (61 m) |
| Length | 1,600 feet (490 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Mohave |
| Surface area | 26,500 acres (10,700 ha) |
| Power station | |
| Hydraulic head | 135 feet (41 m) |
| Turbines | 5 Francis turbines |
| Installed capacity | 251 MW |
| Annual generation | 1148 GWh |
The Davis Dam is a large dam built on the Colorado River. It is located about 70 miles (113 km) downstream from the famous Hoover Dam. This important structure sits right on the border between Arizona and Nevada in the United States.
The dam was first called Bullhead Dam. Later, it was renamed after Arthur Powell Davis. He was a director for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which is a government agency that manages water resources. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation still owns and operates the dam today. Construction of the dam finished in 1951. Davis Dam holds back the Colorado River, creating a large body of water called Lake Mohave.
Contents
What is Davis Dam?
Davis Dam is a special kind of dam called an earth-fill dam. This means it's mostly made of packed earth and rock. It also has a concrete section called a spillway. A spillway is like a giant drain that lets extra water flow out safely.
The dam is about 1,600 feet (488 meters) long at the top. It stands about 200 feet (61 meters) tall. The earth-fill part of the dam starts on the Nevada side. On the Arizona side, there's an inlet made of earth and concrete. This inlet includes the spillway and the power plant.
Why is the Dam Important?
The main jobs of Davis Dam are very important. It helps control the water released from Hoover Dam, which is upstream. This control makes sure water flows smoothly. The dam also helps deliver Colorado River water to Mexico.
Right below the dam, you'll find two towns: Bullhead City, Arizona, and Laughlin, Nevada. Bullhead City actually started as a town for the workers who built the dam. A park called Davis Camp is also nearby.
The Dam's Roadway
There used to be a road on top of the earth-fill part of the dam. This road was once part of Arizona State Route 68. However, in 2004, the road was closed to cars. Now, only people walking or riding bikes can use it. It's now part of a walking path system called the Heritage Trail. Security guards patrol the area to keep everyone safe.
How Davis Dam Makes Electricity
The Davis Dam Power Plant is on the Arizona side of the dam. This plant uses the power of moving water to create electricity. This is called hydroelectric power.
The plant has five large machines called Francis turbines. You can see the tops of these turbines from outside the plant. These turbines spin when water flows through them. This spinning motion generates a lot of electricity.
The power plant can produce up to 251 megawatts (MW) of electricity. Each year, it generates enough power to light up many homes. This clean energy helps power communities in the region.
See also
- Bullhead City, Arizona
- Laughlin, Nevada
- List of power stations in the United States
Images for kids
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Original engineering drawings
