Why Was The Marble Canyon Dam Not Built

Litton boats down the colorado river below glen canyon dam in arizona.

Why was the marble canyon dam not built. He holds the record as the oldest man ever to row the grand canyon which he did at age 87. The marble canyon dam also known as the redwall dam was a proposed dam on the colorado river in arizona the dam was intended to impound a relatively small reservoir in the central portion of marble canyon to develop hydroelectric power. On january 21 1963 not coincidentally the same day the bureau of reclamation closed the western diversion tunnel of the newly completed glen canyon dam to begin filling lake powell floyd dominy the bureau s commissioner announced a plan to dam the grand canyon. It may be just the place for a dam and then it may not.

As part of his pacific southwest water plan dominy included a dam in marble. Bureau of reclamation built a one bowling alley town and a bridge to support construction of glen canyon dam which would create america s second largest reservoir and. Po box 6128 marble canyon az 86036 phone. Bureau of reclamation field crew is there to discover but one thing is certain.

Marble canyon is a section along the canyon of the colorado river from the glen canyon dam at lake powell page arizona to the confluence of the little colorado river. Marble canyon is an incredibly beautiful spot with crystal clear water and steep sandstone cliffs that rise up to 1 000 feet. The grand canyon officially begins below this confluence. The key location in marble canyon is lee s ferry where river runners launch their boats for excursions on the.

Let kelly outfitters take care of all details while you enjoy the scenery and great fishing. Due to its enormous potential for environmental destruction and the dwindling flows of the colorado river the project stalled in 1968 after years of public opposition. In the late 1950s the u s. That s marble canyon s proposed damsite on the mighty colorado upriver just a few miles from the grand canvon.

Both dams would enclose reservoirs one of which would stretch 2 miles up the little. It was a tough place to get into in order to find out. Kayaking marble canyon glen canyon dam to lee s ferry we have hiked all around page and lee s ferry. That s what the u.

Each time i d drive over the bridge i would look down below the dam at the canyon downstream. Photograph by jim richardson.