[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 118 (Tuesday, September 20, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1894]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                COMMEMORATING 100 YEARS OF CHEESMAN DAM

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                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 20, 2005

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
century of service the Cheesman Dam has provided Coloradans. The dam is 
an engineering marvel that has provided water to the Denver 
metropolitan area for the past century.
  The dam was constructed with the goal of providing the natural 
resources necessary to Denver area expansion. The dam has provided 
effective water management that has brought both environmental 
stability and economic growth to Denver.
  Chief Engineer C.P. Allen executed the construction of Cheesman Dam 
with speed, precision, and creativity. The dam contains three million 
cubic feet of masonry, 21,000 tons of concrete and weighs an impressive 
300,000 tons. The world's largest dam at the time of its completion, 
Cheesman was hailed by many as an engineering marvel. Though it didn't 
remain the largest dam in the world, it has continued to garner 
engineering acclaim. In 1975 it was proclaimed a National Historic 
Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
  Cheesman's engineering prowess and historical significance are not 
its only qualities worthy of praise. The dam is, in many ways, a unique 
reflection of the Colorado spirit. Built to emulate the surrounding 
natural area, Cheesman's granite construction attempts to assimilate 
modem engineering advancement with the beauty of Colorado's open space. 
Its spillway follows the same pattern as it was intentionally developed 
in the formation of a natural cliff rather then a typical dam.
  The American Society of Civil Engineers explains that the, ``Cheesman 
Dam is . . . of such historical significance and contemporary 
importance that is should never be forgotten, but placed side-by-side 
with other national and historical landmarks of the engineering 
profession.''
  Its 100th anniversary is an accomplishment for the hundreds of 
workers that laid the stone in its construction and its talented 
engineers. Special recognition is also owed Denver Water and all of its 
employees--past and present--who have maintained this critical feature 
of Denver's water supply system. Through the efforts of Denver Water 
and the foresight of those who built this facility 100 years ago, 
Denver has been able to thrive and prosper.

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