First Lady Ladybird Johnson officially dedicated Glen Canyon Dam on Sept. 22, 1966, more than 10 years after work was started on the diversion tunnels to reroute the mighty Colorado River during construction.
The dam is 710-feet high and holds back Lake Powell, one of the largest man-made reservoirs in the U.S. The dam topped out in 1963 and the first hydro-power from its massive turbines was transmitted to hungry customers in Phoenix in 1964.
Photos © Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Citizen, where applicable
Glen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon Bridge and Glen Canyon Dam during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, right, with Ladybird Johnson during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966. The Glen Canyon Bridge is in the background.
Glen Canyon Dam
First Lady Ladybird Johnson with Arizona Gov. Sam Goddard during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
The transformer complex during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
The control room during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
Deep underneath Glen Canyon Dam during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
A giant steel turbine shaft spinning during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
First Lady Ladybird Johnson, center, during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
First Lady Ladybird Johnson during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
Boaters on the new Lake Powell during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
The turbine hall during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966. The first electricity was generated on September 4, 1964, with the power sent into the regional electric grid through a pair of long-distance transmission lines as far as Phoenix, Arizona and Farmington, New Mexico.[
Glen Canyon Dam
The eight penstocks that provide water for generation of electricity are revealed on the back of Glen Canyon Dam during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
A man catches some sun during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
Boaters on Lake Powell during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
Boaters on Lake Powell during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
A guest photographs Arizona's newest lake during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
Spectators watch the dignitaries from a distance during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
A boat ride on Lake Powell during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell during the official dedication of Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Ariz. on Sept. 22, 1966.
Glen Canyon Dam
Photograph of a bend in Glen Canyon of the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, ca.1898. The towering nearly-vertical rocky canyon walls loom over the placid river. The canyon rim is visible in the distance. A rocky embankment forms the shore on one side of the river. Two men row small boats on the river.
Glen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon damsite from the air in November 1957, prior to construction of the Glen Canyon Bridge
Glen Canyon Dam
Aerial view of Glen Canyon Dam during construction - 1962
Glen Canyon Dam
Construction of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963.
Glen Canyon Dam
Lake Powell filling underway, 1965
Glen Canyon Dam, bridge, construction
Steelworkers sit on the steel span for Glen Canyon bridge under construction high above the Colorado River in the late 1950s.
Glen Canyon Dam, bridge, construction
The bridge span emerges from the anchorage in the wall of Glen Canyon just west of the dam site under construction, late 1950s.
Glen Canyon Dam, bridge, construction
Heavy equipment moving rock at Glen Canyon Dam site, late 1950s.
Glen Canyon Dam, bridge, construction
Dozens of survey marks dot the wall of Glen Canyon at the site of the dam in the late 1950s.
Glen Canyon
Bend in Glen Canyon of the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, ca.1898. Photographer: George Wharton James
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
Drought has brought water levels in Lake Powell to historic lows, revealing some of Glen Canyon’s lost wonders
As water levels plummet, no plan yet to replace power from Glen Canyon DamFor Star subscribers: Lake Powell is less than 35 feet above the level at which Glen Canyon Dam's generators would be turned off. But there's no detailed plan on what to do if that happens. Authorities say they're working very hard to produce one as soon as possible.
The largest drought coverage seen in the U.S. since 2013, with as much as 60% of the continental U.S. facing drought conditions, was predicted in the spring outlook released this month by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For Star subscribers: The unprecedented move would create a possible, immediate cutback in water supplies to Arizona, California and Nevada. The goal: to keep Lake Powell from falling so law that Glen Canyon Dam couldn't generate electricity.
More water will be sent from upstream to depleted Lake Powell, and less will be released downstream to Lake Mead. Water experts said these moves will bail out a short-term crisis but won't fix the long-term woes.
For Star subscribers: Lake Powell is only 24 percent full now, and Lake Mead is 31 percent full. Both were nearly full at the turn of the 21st century.
With the river possibly in its driest period in 1,200 years and facing an uncertain climate and hydrological future, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation wants public comments on what issues should be covered for its reservoirs.
For Star subscribers: Environmental groups' report blasts U.S. for failing to deal with risks to Glen Canyon Dam's ability to deliver water to Colorado River states including Arizona when Lake Powell is at low elevations.
For Star subscribers: It could cost $500 million to $3 billion to modify the 60-year-old Glen Canyon Dam to keep it generating electricity when Lake Powell falls below the level at which its turbines would need to be turned off.
Future conservation efforts are highly uncertain.