HOW WATER CHANGED THE WEST: NEW ONLINE TRAVEL ITINERARY VISITS HISTORIC DAMS AND WATER PROJECTS

WASHINGTON – The American West was dramatically transformed in the early 20^thcentury by dams, reservoirs, and canals built to provide water for irrigation and hydropower generation. The introduction of water to the arid landscape spurred settlement, farming, and economic stability. Learn the fascinating history of 25 engineering marvels that permitted the desert to bloom in the National Park Service’s newest online travel itinerary Bureau of Reclamation Historic Dams and Water Projects: Managing Water in the West. The itinerary, loaded with essays, images, information, and maps, is available here. Each of the 25 historic dams in the itinerary is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, which is maintained by the National Park Service. The dams represent the complexities and challenges of building water projects and the significant role the Bureau of Reclamation played in shaping life in the West. Bureau of Reclamation projects, today as in the past, have a sweeping impact on irrigation and municipal and industrial water supplies, hydroelectric power, navigation, flood control, and recreational opportunity. The National Park Service’s Heritage Education Services and its Intermountain Region Heritage Partnerships Program produced this itinerary in partnership with the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers.  This itinerary is the 54^th in the online Discover Our Shared Heritage travel itinerary series. The series supports historic preservation, promotes public awareness of history, and encourages visits to historic places throughout the country.