Glen Canyon Dam

Glen Canyon Dam is a dam on the Colorado River at Page, Arizona, operated by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The purpose of the dam is to provide water storage for the arid southwestern United States, and to generate electricity for the region's growing population. The dam has been controversial since its inception, because it caused the flooding of the scenic Glen Canyon and its tributaries to create a man-made reservoir, Lake Powell. Its construction began in 1956. Although the dam was not dedicated until 1966, it was able to begin blocking the flow of the river in 1963.
The Sierra Club and other environmental organizations opposed the original plan for damming the Colorado River. When the plan was modified by the elimination of other proposed dams, however, the Sierra Club dropped its objection to the Glen Canyon Dam. Its then Executive Director, David R. Brower, later called this decision one of the biggest mistakes of his career:
Senator Barry Goldwater, who fought for funds to complete the dam, also later called its construction a mistake and regretted his support.http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0528dam-anniversary0528.html
The dam has continued to attract opposition. In the 1975 novel The Monkey Wrench Gang, by Edward Abbey, the protagonists believe strongly that the dam has ruined the river. Since 1996, the Sierra Club has called for increasing the release of water, so that a more natural flow of the river is restored and Lake Powell is gradually drained. The Glen Canyon Institute is an organization which advocates for the dam's decommissioning. (...) more....