Arid Ambition - Part 4: Teton and the Price of Engineering Hubris
Arid Ambition: Conquering the American Desert 1 Arid Ambition - Part 1: John Wesley Powell and the Folly of Settlement 2 Arid Ambition - Part 2: The Syndicate That Stole a River 3 Arid Ambition - Part 3: The Gods of Concrete and the Pork Barrel 4 Arid Ambition - Part 4: Teton and the Price of Engineering Hubris 5 Arid Ambition - Part 5: The Mirage of Augmentation and the Looming End ← Series Home The monumental dams of the American West were once hailed as modern temples. They represented the ultimate conquest of nature, giving engineers confidence to subdue great rivers worldwide. Yet, the quest for engineering perfection masked a dangerous political and bureaucratic hubris. As the best dam sites disappeared, engineers were forced to build on inferior, dangerous ground. This relentless ambition led directly to catastrophe. ...