a rainy day for saving

On the east side of the Glen Canyon Bridge, I continued 89 South to the Glen Canyon Dam lookout. There is a zigzagging pathway through smoothly weathered rock to the vista point on the far cliff face.

Glen Canyon Dam, rising 710 feet above bedrock within the steep, rust-colored sand-stone walls of Glen Canyon, was constructed to harness the power of the Colorado River in order to provide for the water and power needs of millions of people in the West.

At the bottom of the walkway, I paused to view the water-shaping arch, which is surpassed only 15 feet in height by the Hoover Dam. It’s a bit surreal from a distance, imagining it being built layer by concrete layer.

The following afternoon I went to the Carl Hayden Visitor Center, situated 700 feet above the Colorado River next to the dam, to observe from a different point of view.

Glen Canyon Dam ensures that when rainfall occurs, it may be stored to meet the needs of millions over a seven state area to carry on without interruption. Being prepared macro-cosmically for resource fluctuation is critical for society to operate. Micro-cosmically it empowers groups and individuals to generate momentum through drought and plenty.