Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam, called the Old World Wall by Ulysses, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. It lies on the border between the former US states of Arizona and Nevada.

Background
Before the Great War, the Hoover Dam was the main power supplier to the greater Four States Commonwealth (Arizona and New Mexico) along with the Southwest Commonwealth (Nevada and Southern California) and possibly parts of the Texas Commonwealth and Mexico. When the Great War first broke out, some of Mr. House's laser battery systems kept the Hoover Dam in almost untouched condition along with a majority of Las Vegas. However, due to the war, the plant was shut down. Whether this is from the Great Blackout or workers abandoning the facility is unknown.

In 2274, after a long period of lying dormant, Hoover Dam was taken by the New California Republic with the arrival of the first NCR scouts at Hoover Dam. This action spurred Mr. House into action as a sign of returning civilization. Mr. House sent his securitron army out onto the New Vegas Strip and rallied the tribals occupying the city, ensuring that when the NCR first reached New Vegas, they would return with stories of a city of lights in the middle of the desert, bringing in the tourist revenue required for Mr. House to carry forward his plans. He worried about the independence of his new city's power source, but fortunately, the arrival of Caesar's Legion in the region meant that the NCR could not take the dam and the Strip without significant casualties, which would leave them vulnerable to the Legion. Mr. House and the NCR drew up the New Vegas Treaty, out of necessity more than anything. 95% of the dam's power output would go to the NCR, and in return, Vegas' independence would be guaranteed.

In 2277, the Legion, led by the Malpais Legate, briefly took the dam but were defeated shortly after when the NCR performed a tactical retreat to destroy the Legion by trapping them in Boulder City. After the Battles of Willow Beach and Arizona Spillway, the dam stands as the only foothold the NCR has east of the Colorado River. It is the central point of the power struggle between NCR, the Legion, and Mr. House, and with the Second Battle of Hoover Dam on the horizon, it is certain that the outcome will determine the fate of the entire Mojave Wasteland.

While troopers are active here, there are also a large number of civilian contractors and engineers who are trying to keep the dam running as smoothly as possible. They are of a secondary concern to Moore, who is preparing for an impending attack by Caesar and a visit by President Kimball.

Layout
Hoover Dam covers a large area with extensive exterior and interior sections, despite there only being one map marker for the entire location. Following the Colorado River downstream (or coming upstream from Cottonwood Cove), the player character will encounter a pontoon barrier.

Exterior
The west side of the dam is controlled by the NCR and features the anti-aircraft gun seen on billboards. The fast-travel map marker puts the player character just outside of the entrance to the Hoover Dam visitor center. Just north of the visitor center building are a stage and viewing area. To the west of the stage is a large anti-aircraft cannon. Continuing north along the barricaded road leads to the top of the dam itself. Two towers are along the south edge of the road. Access to Hoover Dam Intake Tower 01 and 02 is via a bridge connected to the north side of the road. The road ends at a checkpoint door which is inaccessible until any of the final quests, such as Eureka!. The checkpoint contains a Very Hard locked terminal and a few lockers with minor loot. It also houses a small sniper nest on the roof, accessible via a ladder.

Access to the north and south bases of the dam is blocked off by a pontoon barrier when attempting to swim downriver toward it. Pontoons hold sections of a chainlink fence in place along the top of the water, while weights keep the submerged ends in place and the whole structure taut. While it is possible to get above the top of the chain link fence from the water, invisible barriers prevent the player character from actually hopping over it, even when attempted from the cliffs far above the barrier. Though it is possible to jump off the north side of the dam into the water. This places the player character on the opposite side of the pontoon barrier and allows them to swim the length of the Hoover Dam. However, using the console to toggle collisions, and then continuing into the northern side of the dam's waters through the pontoon barrier will cause the game to crash. A one-way ladder upwards is available to return to the top of the dam on the NCR side of the river.

The east side of the dam is controlled by the Legion. Going west along the barricaded road leads to the top of the dam itself. Access to Hoover Dam Intake Tower 03 and 04 is via a bridge connected to the north side of the road. There are two towers along the south edge of the road, one is ruined.

The south base of the dam is accessible by descending through interior sections of the dam and exiting from the second tier of either Hoover Dam Power Plant 02 or 04. There are spectacular gushes of water from outflow pipes high up on the east and west walls of the river canyon. It is possible to swim from the west to the east side and climb up on the concrete area by swimming all the way to the south end and walking up the sandbar to the southeast corner.

Interior
See the individual buildings and sections for descriptions of the dam interior.

Notable loot

 * Hoover Dam snow globe - On the central reception desk in the visitor center.
 * Two Chinese stealth armors - In the offices' radioactive barrel storage, in the middle stack of crates.
 * President Kimball's suit - Can be looted off his corpse if he dies during the quests Arizona Killer or You'll Know It When It Happens.
 * General Oliver's uniform - Can be looted off his corpse during the quest Veni, Vidi, Vici and No Gods, No Masters.
 * 12 frag grenades - In a locker in intake tower 2.
 * Hoover Dam saferoom key - One found in each of the three desks in a large T-shaped room between the central and eastern wings of Hoover Dam offices, with another being found in a desk in the room directly to the right after entering through the Hoover Dam power plant 01 door. Opens a saferoom in the second floor of the visitor center that contains nothing of interest.
 * Elaine's letter - Next to a bed in the soldiers' quarters around the corner from Quartermaster Bardon, in the Hoover Dam offices.

Appearances
Hoover Dam appears in Fallout: New Vegas and was going to appear in the canceled Van Buren.

Behind the scenes

 * The Hoover Dam is based on the real world location of Hoover Dam, a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona.
 * Many sections and landmarks of the real world Hoover Dam are seen in-game, including the towering bronze Winged Figures of the Republic sculptures, dam blueprints, visitor center, spillways, power plants, intake towers, lower levels, architecture, outbuildings, and structure of the dam itself, and the elegant Art Deco style interior of the visitors center and details in the surrounding area.
 * The maps of the Hoover Dam scattered around the Mojave are blueprints created in the 1930s and can be seen in the University of Nevada Las Vegas Digital Collections..
 * On the side of one of the stone guard towers is a banner reading, "LEGION GO HOME." This is a reference to the real life slogan "Ami go home," originally a protest from European communists against US occupiers after WWII, later adopted by European peace movements during the Vietnam War and more recently the Gulf War.
 * The other side of this is a reference to the film Monty Python's Life of Brian wherein the main character writes "Romanes eunt domus," grammatically incorrect for "Romans, go home." He is later corrected by a Roman centurion.