Could the Hoover dam eventually overflow due to silt buildup? If so, are there any plans to combat it?

Question

I have little to no knowledge on this, and can't find anything on the internet that specifically addresses the Hoover dam, so excuse me if it is a stupid question.

Answer 1

I suppose it is possible for that to happen, but the exact opposite problem is usually the case, Because dams create a large body of water that is used for drinking and other urban uses of water, the depletion of water is usually the case. Some scenarios for Lake Meade (behind the Hoover dam) are predicting that the Lake could be completely empty in 50 years. If you look at a photo of the lake you can see by the salt marks on the shore how far the water has gone down in recent decades.

Answer 2

You ask a good question. Yes, sediment build up can (and does) occur upstream from dams. This is a major problem for two reasons: 1) More sediment depositions directly upstream from the dam can pose all sorts of problems for the dam itself (e.g., clogged pipes and channels through the dam, water quality issues, wildlife endangerment, increased pressure on the dam itself, etc.), and 2) Increased sedimentation/erosion downstream from the dam where the water downstream attempts to compensate for all of the sediment that should be suspended in the water, but isn't. There have been a few instances in the past when a giant erosional sinkhole develops just downstream from the dam, and then works its way up to the dam itself, causing it to fail.

The way that engineers combat sediment deposition is by performing dredging. This is when large barges or other specialized machinery regularly "scoop" out the muddy sediment that gets deposited in front of the dam. Some times they intentially release some of this sediment downstream to discourage erosion and the formation of a sinkhole.  

Answer 3

They can release water if the water level gets too high.

Occasionally, poorly constructed dams go POP! but it's not a common problem and they usually release water before it gets too high and overflows or the dam breaks.

Here's a link to the Transformers/Hoover Dam Wikipedia site and it has further links: http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Hoove...