Hoover Dam, Nevada and Arizona
Black Canyon and the dam that made Lake Mead.
Terra Explorer Cities and landmarks
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Make this model
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely.
- Region
- Nevada and Arizona
- Position
- 36.0161, -114.7377
- Area
- 10 × 10 km
- Real elevation
- 196 to 1,107 m (911 m of relief)
- Printed size
- 150 mm (5.9 in) wide, about 1:66,700
- Heights
- 1.5× exaggeration
- Elevation data
- USGS 3D Elevation Program, 1–10 m per point
- Suggested color
- Desert
- Group
- Cities and landmarks
About Hoover Dam, Nevada and Arizona
The Hoover Dam is a concrete arch–gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the boundary between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona. Constructed between 1931 and 1936, during the Great Depression, it was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Its construction was the result of a massive effort involving thousands of workers, and cost over 96 lives. Bills passed by Congress during its construction referred to it as Hoover Dam (after President Herbert Hoover), but the Roosevelt administration named it Boulder Dam. In 1947, Congress reinstated the name Hoover Dam. Since about 1900, the Black Canyon and nearby Boulder Canyon had been investigated for their potential to support a dam that would control floods, provide irrigation water, and produce hydroelectric power.
From Wikipedia: Hoover Dam, text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. The article’s history lists its authors.
Questions about Hoover Dam, Nevada and Arizona
Where is Hoover Dam?
Hoover Dam is in Nevada and Arizona at 36.0161, -114.7377. The model covers a 10 by 10 kilometer square around that point.
How high is the terrain in the Hoover Dam model?
The land in this model runs from 196 to 1,107 m (911 m of relief). These are the measured heights, printed 1.5 times taller so the shape is easy to see.
Can I 3D print Hoover Dam?
Yes. Download the free Standard resolution STL and print it on any FDM or resin printer. It is 150 mm wide and about 25.5 mm tall, on a solid 5 mm base, at a scale of about 1:66,700. It also works for CNC carving. Use Customize to change the width, base thickness or height exaggeration, make it round or add a name plate.
How accurate is the Hoover Dam model?
It is built from real elevation measurements, not an artist's guess: the USGS 3D Elevation Program, mostly airborne laser scans at 1 to 10 meters per point. The shaded picture on this page is made from the same data.
Is the Hoover Dam model free?
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely and is a paid upgrade.
What is a Hoover Dam terrain model good for?
People use it as a gift for someone who lives there, a souvenir or a desk piece that shows why the city sits where it does.
About this terrain model
Embossify Terra builds Hoover Dam, Nevada and Arizona from real measured elevation, not an artist's guess. In the United States the heights come from the USGS 3D Elevation Program, mostly airborne laser scans that resolve every 1 to 10 meters.
The model covers a 10 by 10 kilometer square centered on 36.0161, -114.7377. It prints 150 mm (5.9 in) wide on a solid base, a scale of about 1:66,700. The heights are exaggerated 1.5× so the shape is easy to see and feel; you can change that when you customize the model. The sea is flattened to zero, so land stands on a clean base.
New to terrain printing? Read how Terra works. The shaded picture on this page is made by Embossify from the same elevation data.
