Dam View

I really need a Red Rock fix.

During the summer Mike and I visited several places I’ve yet to post about. On one of our shopping trips via the Grand Staircase Escalante we stopped at the Dam View in Page, Arizona.

We walked a short trail to the overlook.

Past marvelously eroded sandstone sculpture.

Where shadows stood tall.

Right up to the edge.

The Colorado River far below.

10 million tons of cement called the Glen Canyon Dam hold back and alter the natural flow of the mighty Colorado River. This creates the 186 mile (299 km) long Lake Powell with 1960 miles (3154 km) of shoreline for people to recreate on.

While life looks on.

Glen Canyon Dam - Arizona

End of Echo Cliffs
I drove up through a cut in Echo Cliffs on my way to Page, Arizona.

Page Sandstone
On top of the Echo Cliffs there lies another exposed layer of sandstone, a little different than below. Windblown sand was deposited about 170 million years ago during the Middle Jurassic creating large-scale cross-bedding (angled lines) seen on exposed sandstone.

Coal fired Navajo Generating Station & Navajo Mountain

Page is a place of power, electricity production that is. The dam generates an average of 451 megawatts compared to the generating station's 2280 megawatts.

Glen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon Dam, built between 1956 and 1966, stands 710 feet high, 25 feet wide at the top and 300 feet wide at the base. The dam provides water, electricity, flood control and recreation to millions of people.

Colorado River
The dam also radically changed the ecosystem of the Colorado River. Below the dam the water temperature dropped at least 20 degrees F causing the loss of some native fish. Without periodic flooding to wash away and redeposit sediments the entire riparian habitat changed, including the establishment of non-native plants.

Lake Powell
Glen Canyon Dam backed up the river 186 miles creating a reservoir called Lake Powell with about 100 major side canyons and five marinas. This flooding buried many Native American ruins and outstanding geologic features.

I continued my journey into the Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument. Please check back for that part of the story.