Who is the owner of a dam?
Who is the owner of a dam? Dams are owned and operated by individuals, private and public organizations, and the government. The responsibility for maintaining a safe dam rests with the owner.
Where would the water go if the Hoover Dam broke?
Some speculate the water would spread into the Mojave National Preserve and communities in southeastern California all the way to the Salton Sea, an area that was routinely flooded by the Colorado River before the dam was built in the 1930s.
How far would the water go if the Hoover Dam broke?
That water would likely cover an area of 10 million acres (4 million hectares) 1 foot (30 centimeters) deep. To put that area in perspective, the entire state of New Jersey is 9 million acres (3.6 million hectares). Downriver towns and major cities would see the most damage, in the event of the dam's physical collapse.