Colorado River Storage Project

This plaque marks the law behind the dam. The Colorado River Storage Project Act, passed by Congress in April 1956, authorized Glen Canyon and a chain of other dams to store and parcel out the Upper Basin's share of the river among Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico. Construction began within six months. The act was born of compromise, sparing Dinosaur National Monument's Echo Park from a dam by shifting the effort here to Glen Canyon instead, a bargain conservationists came to regret bitterly.

What the plaque says

Colorado River Storage Project In recognition of the vision of the Colorado River Storage Project Act of 1956 and the significant contributions the act has made to the development of the Upper Colorado River Basin states, this plaque commemorates the 50th anniversary of the start of construction of the Colorado River Storage Project. Construction of the project has been a key factor in the development and management of water and hydropower generation in the Upper Colorado River Basin through long-term regulatory storage of water. The Colorado River Storage Project Act was passed by Congress on April 11, 1956. Within six months, construction began on both Glen Canyon and Flaming Gorge Dams. Construction of the Navajo Unit followed in 1957 and the Wayne N. Aspinall Unit in 1962. October 19, 2006 Rick L. Gold Regional Director Upper Colorado Region Robert W. Johnson Commissioner Bureau of Reclamation Mark A. Limbaugh Assistant Secretary for Water and Science U.S. Department of the Interior

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Antelope Canyon — 8.0 mi
  Tsé bighánílíní — where the water runs through the rock

More markers nearby

• Glen Canyon Bridge — steps away
• Glen Canyon Dam — steps away
• Rock Bolts and High Scaling — steps away
• Hydroelectric Power — steps away