Hoover Dam Tour - August 2026

[sevenfourate]

Thought I’d share some snaps from our really cool Tour around, ontop of and inside the Hoover Dam on the Arizona / Nevada border today. Hugely interesting……

 

[ianrauk]

I've been there also. Pretty impressive ain't it.
2 different time zones too.

 

[Webbo2]

I went there but in the last century.😳

 

[MontyVeda]

the water level looks worryingly low in pic #3

Did the man who built the dam invent the hoover as well?

 

[ianrauk]

the water level looks worryingly low in pic #3

Did the man who built the dam invent the hoover as well?

I read on a news site that Lake Mead has never been as low of water as it is now.

 

[Beebo]

We went in May 2006. 20 years ago! Feels like only yesterday.
The water was much higher then due to the winter snow melt.
Are you doing Death Valley in August?

 

[sevenfourate]

I read on a news site that Lake Mead has never been as low of water as it is now.

**We were told by our guide:

Lake Mead is at around 30% of its maximum capacity. The water inlets are 250ft above the Lake on a ‘shelf’. The pressure drop because of water levels being lower is already causing issues. And if nothing is done - they are predicting that the current Hydro-electric Power Units will all have to stop running some time in 2028 😳

The current plan is to possibly ‘swap out’ some lighter parts / tops / impellers (?) so that they can be as or more efficient when being powered by less volume. But these Units have traditionally taken a year or more just to overhaul on their respective maintenance schedules. *Apparently some of the bigger power units take both overhead cranes combined to lift and are over 600 tons in total. So lightening some of these internal parts should be relatively ‘easy’ in this day and age - and show very worthwhile results.

BUT: This is America. And all of that is compounded by the fact some States (?) and other entities are now suing the Dam due to already receiving less water than previously.

It’s a complicated situation right now….🤦‍♂️

 

[sevenfourate]

We went in May 2006. 20 years ago! Feels like only yesterday.
The water was much higher then due to the winter snow melt.
Are you doing Death Valley in August?

No we’re not. But are doing a Red Rock Canyon Tour starting very shortly…….

 

[postman]

Been there done that on a Titan Tour from England,it might have been on the same holiday or another trip,a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon,that blew my mind,it is so stunning.You have got me going now another highlight was a Gold town tour ,Calico this is a stop off whilst on the Titan Tour,California and the Golden West.

 

[YMFB]

We visited the Dam during our Motorcycle C2C in September 2022, very interesting and one of my highlight. We stopped at the Boulder Dam Hotel, not only one of the worst hotels of the entire month long trip, I think a porn film was in production next door.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

**We were told by our guide:

Lake Mead is at around 30% of its maximum capacity. The water inlets are 250ft above the Lake on a ‘shelf’. The pressure drop because of water levels being lower is already causing issues. And if nothing is done - they are predicting that the current Hydro-electric Power Units will all have to stop running some time in 2028 😳

The current plan is to possibly ‘swap out’ some lighter parts / tops / impellers (?) so that they can be as or more efficient when being powered by less volume. But these Units have traditionally taken a year or more just to overhaul on their respective maintenance schedules. *Apparently some of the bigger power units take both overhead cranes combined to lift and are over 600 tons in total. So lightening some of these internal parts should be relatively ‘easy’ in this day and age - and show very worthwhile results.

BUT: This is America. And all of that is compounded by the fact some States (?) and other entities are now suing the Dam due to already receiving less water than previously.

It’s a complicated situation right now….🤦‍♂️

Interesting read, thanks for that.
My wife has flown over the dam. Together we have been to Glen Canyon dam and Lake Powell before ending in LV. That was an eye opener. Enjoyed looking at your pics from LV. It all seems a long time ago, 93 in our case but brings back memories. Thanks for sharing.