[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 31 (Thursday, March 3, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S1214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT DAM

  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, the story of human settlement in Arizona is 
in many respects the story of the extraordinary efforts people have 
made to harness water supplies for their use and benefit. Early 
Arizonans were keenly aware of the importance of the State's many 
rivers. Recognizing the immense power and unpredictability of those 
river flows, settlers devised an ambitious water system known as the 
Salt River Project, SRP. The keystone of their efforts, the Theodore 
Roosevelt Dam, celebrates its centennial this month.
  More than a century ago, Arizonans understood that water reclamation 
is crucial to life in the Salt River Valley. Arizona farmers organized 
to lobby the U.S. Congress for a Federal reclamation law that would 
throw the weight of the Federal Government behind local projects. 
Together with the vision of President Theodore Roosevelt and the 
persuasive power of private citizens, Congress passed the National 
Reclamation Act in 1902. The Salt River Valley Water Users' Association 
was incorporated the following year.
  SRP was the first major undertaking authorized by the National 
Reclamation Act, and Roosevelt Dam was a critical component of SRP's 
development. Upon its completion on March 18, 1911, the Roosevelt Dam 
was the largest masonry structure in the world. The dam captured the 
Salt River's flows, providing a secure water supply, flood control, and 
irrigation to communities in central Arizona. In addition to water 
management, the Roosevelt Dam generated power for mining, agriculture, 
and Arizona's growing population.
  Today, economic growth in the region continues to depend on Roosevelt 
Dam and its ability to provide a reliable water storage and delivery 
system, as well as power. The dam is still in operation and provides 70 
percent of the surface water available to SRP water shareholders and 
customers in and around Phoenix. While SRP's mission has evolved with 
Arizona's population growth, its core function has remained constant to 
provide a sustainable water resource for central Arizona.
  As Arizona continues to develop, we will need the same foresight and 
entrepreneurial spirit to serve the water needs of a new generation of 
Arizonans. Mr. President, that is why today I honor those who made SRP 
and the Roosevelt Dam a reality 100 years ago.

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