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two workers in helmets overlooking the lip of Roosevelt Dam

The past, present and future of Theodore Roosevelt Dam

About 100 miles outside of metro Phoenix, a 110-year-old concrete goliath stands at 357 feet tall and holds back over 1.6 million acre-feet of water at Roosevelt Lake. This awe-inspiring water system infrastructure is known as Theodore Roosevelt Dam, and it has an impressive history.

More than a beautiful site, Roosevelt Dam serves an especially important purpose in the Valley’s water storage and delivery capabilities. It helped early settlers tame the wild and unpredictable waters of the Salt River and allowed a prosperous community to flourish.

Today it remains the cornerstone of a water delivery system that is responsible for delivering over half of the Valley’s yearly water supply. Serving as a guardian to the desert’s most precious resource, the dam helps us maintain a reliable water supply and face climate change and drought with certainty.

The rich history of Roosevelt Dam

Long before SRP began serving the area, the Valley’s early indigenous residents, the Hohokam, built an expansive irrigation system. This gravity-based system would be utilized and maintained for more than a thousand years. The ingenuity of these native Arizonans laid the groundwork for modern Phoenix and the system that SRP operates today.

Thereafter, settlers arriving in the Valley in the late 1800s sought to build a reliable water supply to support life and agriculture in this arid environment. Many of these folks uncovered the remnants of this ancient canal system and built modern canals in those same pathways.

In 1889, a survey team funded by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors explored the Salt and Verde rivers for potential reservoir sites. They noted that the most promising site was at the confluence of the Salt River and Tonto Creek, which is the current site of Roosevelt Dam. For the next several years, private enterprises unsuccessfully attempted to fund a dam at the site.

In 1902, an opportunity in the form of the National Reclamation Act came along that changed everything.

Theodore-Roosevelt-Dam-Salt-River-Project

Theodore Roosevelt Dam timeline and milestones

1902

National Reclamation Act

Signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902, the National Reclamation Act provided federal funds in the form of loans to build irrigation infrastructure.

1902
1903

Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association Formed & The Apache Trail

Valley residents came together to form the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association (SRVWUA) and put their land up as collateral to secure a federal reclamation loan to build Theodore Roosevelt Dam. The Salt River Project was selected as one of the first five federal reclamation projects in the United States.

The construction of a 60-mile-long road known as the Apache Trail enabled people and freight to be transported to the dam’s construction site. Upon completion of the Apache Trail in 1905, the first stagecoach traversed the roadway on June 10.

1903
1904

Construction of Roosevelt Dam approved

SRVWUA members vote to approve the construction and repayment contract with the federal government for Theodore Roosevelt Dam.

1904
1905

Construction site flood

A massive flood of approximately 130,000 cubic feet per second washes away equipment and supplies during the early stages of dam construction.

1905
1906

Dam cornerstone laid

A work crew lays the dam’s cornerstone. 

1906
1907

Construction site flood

Late summer flooding once again disrupts work on dam construction and causes damage.

1907
1908

Construction goes vertical

Despite setbacks due to additional flooding, the dam begins to grow vertically.

1908
1909

Roosevelt Dam receives power

Power from the Theodore Roosevelt damsite is transmitted to the Valley via a transmission line built between the dam and the city of Mesa.

1909
1910

Completion of dam

Construction on the dam is largely complete except for bridges and parapets (an extension of a wall that provides safety around ledges).

1910
1911

President Roosevelt’s historic journey and dam dedication

President Theodore Roosevelt traversed the Apache Trail on his way to the dedication of the dam and marveled at its construction through the rough terrain. The dam is dedicated on March 18, 1911.

1911
1915

Dam’s first spill and celebration

A trickle of water made its way across the spillway at Roosevelt Dam for the first time on April 14, 1915. Some of this water was captured in a copper flask and sent to New York to christen the USS Arizona. On April 15, a crowd of about 3,000 people gathered to celebrate the dam’s first spill.

1915
1955

Construction debt paid off

On Oct. 21, 1955, the Salt River Project paid off the original construction debt for Roosevelt Dam.

1955
1961

Golden Jubilee, 50th anniversary

On March 18, 1961, Roosevelt Dam celebrated its 50th anniversary with an event held on the crest of the dam with members of the public and many important guests in attendance, including Sen. Barry Goldwater, Gov. Paul Fannin, Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall and Rep. John Rhodes. A time capsule was placed in the dam to celebrate the 50th anniversary. The time capsule was later opened in celebration of the dam’s centennial.

1961
1990s

Dam safety modifications

In partnership with federal and state agencies and cities, the dam was raised 77 feet, enabling us to manage water releases more effectively. This increased storage capacity for six of the Valley cities.

1990s
1996

Construction completion and rededication

The dam’s modification construction was complete, and the Roosevelt Dam was rededicated.

1996
2011

Centennial celebration, 100-year anniversary time capsule

On March 18, 2011, Roosevelt Dam celebrated its centennial. A celebration was held on the crest of the dam, and the time capsule placed in the dam at the 1961 Golden Jubilee was opened and a new time capsule was created.

2011
2019

World Heritage Irrigation Structure designation

Theodore Roosevelt Dam was the first structure in the United States to be designated to the list of World Heritage Irrigation Structures by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage.

2019
2024

Flood Control Space

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) approved SRP to increase the amount of time water could be held in a portion of the Flood Control Space at Roosevelt Dam from 20 days to 120 days, allowing farms and communities downstream to use the water and reduce releases of unusable water. 

2024

Historical reliability for future generations

Since 1903, SRP has delivered water to a growing population. Well into its second century of existence, one thing remains the same – Roosevelt Dam is vital to life thriving in the Valley. Want to learn more about the past, present and future of delivering a resilient water supply to the Valley? We share all of that and more in a stunning video miniseries.

2 thoughts on “The past, present and future of Theodore Roosevelt Dam”

  1. My husband and I were part of the 50 year rededication of Roosevelt Dam. We drove our 1910 Model T Ford over the Apache Trail, transporting the President of SRP. I still remember that day with great fondness!

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