On October 9, 1936, Hoover Dam on the Colorado River began generating electricity for the American Southwest. The dam was one of the largest public works projects of the New Deal era. It provided hydroelectric power to cities and industries in Nevada, Arizona, and California. In addition to power, the dam helped control flooding and supply water to growing communities and farms. Construction of the dam created jobs during the Great Depression and required new engineering methods. Hoover Dam became a symbol of large-scale federal infrastructure and remains an important power and water source today.
