Parker Dam, Spanning Colorado River between AZ & CA, Parker, La Paz County, AZ

Significance: It was constructed from 1934 to 1938 as the second impoundment of the lower Colorado River by the Bureau of Reclamation. Together with the Hoover Dam and Davis Dam, 155 miles upstream and 88 miles upstream, respectively, Parker Dam provides flood protection, hydroelectric generation, and water storage for agricultural, industrial, and domestic use in the Southwest. Storage of water behind the dam and the regulation of water flow in the Colorado River below the dam allow the United States to comply with the Mexican Treaty of 1944, particularly annual delivery of 1.5 million acre-feet of water to Mexico. Electricity produced at Parker Dam contributed to the post-WWII development of Arizona and southern California, and these facilities are directly associated with the important historical event or theme of Federal containment and water power development of the Colorado River. Parker Dam is considered the "deepest dam" in the world with a structural height of 320 feet, of which only eighty-five feet extend above the river bed.

Survey number: HAER AZ-54

Building/structure dates: 1938 Initial Construction

dams hydroelectric power plants flood control parker ariz parker dam parker dam colorado river paz la paz county arizona california energy generation western area power administration department of energy historic american engineering record kate larson o larugaard jet lowe moritz j l savage incorporated six companies us bureau of reclamation r f walter photo ultra high resolution high resolution power plants aerial view aerial photographs library of congress

1969 - 1980

Library of Congress

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