A Brief History Of The Roosevelt Dam

The Theodore Roosevelt Dam, once the world’s tallest masonry dam, was constructed northeast of Phoenix, Arizona to prevent flooding and control the raging waters of the Salt River, provide water for irrigation, and generate hydroelectric power. Often called the ‘Salt River Project,’ the Roosevelt Dam helped to turn the desert of Arizona into fertile land that could be used for farming, and aid in the settlement of the then-barren west.
The Roosevelt Dam was built between 1906 and 1911 in a narrow gorge below the Salt River and Tonto Creek, once referred to as ‘The Crossing’ by Arizona pioneers. It was one of five major projects under the Newlands Reclamation Act (1902) – a federal program that would commission, design, and construct large-scale irrigation projects in arid lands that needed water. Roosevelt, who helped to get the act approved, believed that water in western rivers was being wasted if not used for settling and farming. Inspired by Greek and Roman styles of building, the Roosevelt Dam was built using large, irregular-shaped blocks placed in a cyclopean-fashion and cost a whopping $10 million to complete; at 280 feet tall, the dam was the largest masonry dam in the world. The dam also formed the largest artificial reservoir in the world, Theodore Roosevelt Lake, which contained 526,875 acre-feet of water. On March 18, 1911, President Theodore Roosevelt dedicated the dam in his honor.