I have mixed feelings whenever I encounter any of the big dams made by the Bureau of Reclamation back in the 20th century. On the one hand, Glen Canyon Dam and the water in Lake Powell behind it make it possible for people to live in large numbers in places like Arizona (and for me to visit). On the other hand, think of the priceless legacy of side canyons and Native American cultural sites lost underwater. The explorer and advocate for the Southwest, John Wesley Powell (1834-1902), foresaw some of the problems that massive development in the desert would cause and did his best to alert politicians in Washington, D.C. I’m not sure how much they listened.
Speaking of Major Powell, we encountered a four year old boy named Wesley in a coffee shop in Page, Arizona. His mother said he was named after Powell.
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