Boulder City - The Magazine is a monthly publication full of information about Boulder City and Southern Nevada. Boulder City - The Magazine features the Boulder City Home Guide, a real estate guide to Boulder City and Southern Nevada.

Cover Story

Hoover Dam
2004 Making a Comeback
by Ev Chase

It seems things have been happening in ten year increments when it comes to upgrade activity at Hoover Dam - at least for the past 30 years.

The Hoover Dam Power Plant Act of 1984 brought about an upgrade of the working parts of the plant, bringing more power to users in Arizona, California, and Nevada.

In February of 1994, Julian Rhinehart, Regional Public Affairs Officer for the Bureau of Reclamation said, "No one envisioned there would be three quarters of a million paid tours each year."

An investment ten years ago in the neighborhood of $135 million brought about a parking garage, a new visitor center with access under the roadway, new expensive elevators carrying 50 people each down into the dam, and a very big mortgage.

That was then and now is a time in which expensive elevators are prohibited from taking paying customers on a full ride to the bottom of the dam.

It's 2004 and and no one envisioned we would still be feeling the aftermath of a catastrophe such as an attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

The knowledge of that attack, however, doesn't dampen the spirits of Gary Bryant, Hoover Dam Manager. Bryant is well aware he has to deal with that extra element of security - terrorism. He realizes he has to make his historic attraction pay the bills.

"Tourism is slowly coming back," Bryant says. "Its come back ever year since 9-11, but we really had a diffucult time. Our activity went down to about 60% of normal."

Forty percent was a big cut considering operations and maintance costs, as well as capital investment, are covered by tourist dollars.

"Last year we were about 75 percent of our highest years,"which was just before 9-11," Bryant says. "It looks like we are going to come in this year about 85 to 89 percent of our highest level.

"We've had a tremendous amout of response in the last two or three weeks, probably because of spring vacation. We're surprised the people we've had."

Having "a tremendous response" is a two edged sword, however. Larger crowds and more vehicles drain the resources it takes to maintain security and provide a pleasent experience for visitors.

"Certainly there are more police, guards, and security," Bryant says. "But a lot of the guides and young people that are around are here to make sure we give our guests a good image of the federal government and of Hoover Dam in general.

"Over the last few years we've pushed to make sure that everybody who meets the public understands how important it is to make a good impression."

Bryant's goal for the Hoover Dam attraction is to make sure his people who meet the public are "ambassadors to the world," something akin to what he has seen on visits to Disney Land.

"When you go to Disney Land you never see armed guards, or any trash men, and you never find anyone who is not nice to you."

Bryant has several ideas on his screen for future consideration.

"We're looking at all sorts of alternatives," Bryant says. "The bridge gives us these alternatives. We'll no longer have to bring people across the dam.

"We have talked to Boulder City about activites down here. Sharing venues, for example. When it's cool, we could use the Arizona parking lot as an ampitheater, or for a classic car show. There are a lot of things that can be done once we are able to manipulate the traffic."

They're also making improvements and changes inside according to Bryant. They have gone through and repainted to look like it did "back in the old days."

"We are going through and cleaning it and getting it all fixed up. We've looked at providing a cable ride and taking people out half way and back, because you can't go down inside anymore because of security reasons."

Bryant is always aware that their primary purpose in life is to make sure there is enough water available down stream, control floods, and provide a reservoir for the water. A by- product of all that water is the beauty of the lake, availablility of water sports, and of course the grandeur of the dam structure.

























"We've had five years of drought and we're about 52 percent of normal," Bryant says. "Yet, we're still providing pretty much all the water needed."

Even though services are still being provided, the lack of water cause and effect has been noticable.

"The main thing it does," says Bryant, "is, with less water the units do not work effectively. We've lost the equivalent of one of those 130 megawatt (power generating) units."

That amount of power converts to about 100,000 families, according to Bryant. Further, he explains, if the water level drops 80 feet, for example, there is less water weight on the turbine so it takes more time to generate the same amount of energy.

As Hoover Dam Manager, Bryant is faced with several variables affecting his success vision. 9-11, of course, low water levels, and a new bypass bridge, to name a few. All of the above may affect the Disney Land atmosphere.

From adversity comes closer relationships and so be it with with 9-11-type activities or threats.

"We stay in pretty close contact with all the agencies around here now - federal, state, and local." Bryant says.

"Las Vegas Metro has helped us with dog patrols, Boulder City sends out police whenever we need it and the National Park Service provides boats."

Bryant says they have always had security, of course, but now they are even more security minded and have better trained personal.

"We actually send these guys to federal training for two and a half months in New Mexico and Georgia.

"When they get back, we work with them for a month or two to make sure they know the routine.

"They need to know the language of the plant." Bryant says. "We spend a lot more time having them deal with the public while looking for security aspects of the job."

What Bryant is saying is, come down and have a good time, but don't holler bomb! or Goofy, Mickey, or Donald Duck will throw you to the ground.




Boulder City - The Magazine®
688 Wells Rd #A
Boulder City, Nevada 89005
(702) 293-4916 or (702) 294-1392
E-mail: BoulderCityMagazine@gmail.com



Web Site Design by Appleby Arts
Copyright © 2004 - Boulder City-The Magazine - All Rights Reserved
E-mail Web Master at: webmaster@bouldercitymagazine.com

Disclaimer