Laguna Dam - built in 1905 (#0806)

The Laguna Diversion Dam, completed in 1905 for irrigation of Yuma Valley and Imperial County. This was the first dam built on the Colorado. Prior to building the dam, steamboats traveled up the Colorado from the Gulf of California through Mexico and up as far as Black Canyon, which is the site of Hoover Dam. The completion of Laguna Dam ended steamboat access and co-occurred with increased rail access. The dam was superceded by Imperial Dam (adjacent pictures) which was finished in 1938. Note that the Colorado River siphon in Yuma (earlier pictures) was originally built to accommodate water from the Laguna Dam. Wikipedia on Laguna Dam: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laguna_Diversion_Dam