Willow Beach Gauging Station, Water gauging station in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada, US
Willow Beach Gauging Station is a water measurement facility on the Colorado River between Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, equipped with cables, a catwalk, and monitoring instruments. The installation was designed from the start to continuously collect and transmit data about water flow.
The facility was built in 1931 as part of early infrastructure planning following the construction of Hoover Dam to track water flow in this river section. It ranks among the oldest monitoring stations on this river system and documents the long history of water management in the region.
The National Register of Historic Places recognized this engineering facility in 1986 for its role in water resource management of the Colorado River system.
Access to the facility is either by boat from the river or via a tramway system on the Arizona side of the Colorado. Being located within a protected recreation area means visitor access is limited and advance planning is necessary.
The facility is recognized as one of the most important historical infrastructure pieces for measuring river dynamics and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 for its technical significance. Its continuous operation over nine decades makes it an unusual example of long-term engineering endurance in a harsh desert environment.
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