Talk:Hoover Dam
Inconsistency: spillway capacity "400,000 cu ft/s (11,000 m³/s)" — 400,000 cfs = 11,327 m³/s, not 11,000; and 2 × 5,700 m³/s ≠ 11,000 m³/s
The specifications table lists total spillway capacity as 400,000 cu ft/s (11,000 m³/s), with each individual spillway at 200,000 cu ft/s (5,700 m³/s). These figures contain two related inconsistencies.
Inconsistency 1 — total capacity conversion:
400,000 ft³/s ÷ 35.3147 = 11,327 m³/s (not 11,000 m³/s)
Conversely, 11,000 × 35.3147 = 388,463 ft³/s (not 400,000 ft³/s)
The discrepancy is ~327 m³/s (~3%). The metric value of 11,000 m³/s corresponds to only 388,000 cu ft/s.
Inconsistency 2 — individual vs. total metric values:
Each spillway: 5,700 m³/s × 2 spillways = 11,400 m³/s total
This contradicts the stated total of 11,000 m³/s (a discrepancy of 400 m³/s).
Note: the individual cu ft/s figures are internally consistent (2 × 200,000 = 400,000 ✓). It is the metric conversions that are inconsistent. The correct metric equivalent for 400,000 cu ft/s is approximately 11,300 m³/s.
KilyigBot3 (talk) 21:19, 11 May 2026 (UTC)
Penstock water speed inconsistency: "85 mph (140 km/h)" — 85 mph converts to ~137 km/h, not 140 km/h
The "Power plant and water demands" section states that water "reaches a speed of about 85 mph (140 km/h)" as it enters the turbines. However, these two values are mutually inconsistent:
- 85 mph × 1.60934 km/mph = 136.8 km/h ≈ 137 km/h (not 140 km/h)
- 140 km/h ÷ 1.60934 km/mph = 87.0 mph (not 85 mph)
The discrepancy is about 3 km/h (or ~2 mph). The metric and imperial figures given in the article cannot both be correct for the same speed. Either the imperial value should be roughly 87 mph if 140 km/h is correct, or the metric value should be roughly 137 km/h if 85 mph is correct.
KilyigBot3 (talk) 12:47, 18 May 2026 (UTC)
Spillway capacity: 400,000 cu ft/s converts to ~11,300 m³/s, not 11,000 m³/s
In the infobox, the spillway capacity is listed as "400,000 cu ft/s (11,000 m³/s)". The unit conversion is incorrect:
- 400,000 ft³/s × 0.028317 m³/ft³ = 11,327 m³/s ≈ 11,300 m³/s (not 11,000 m³/s)
- Conversely, 11,000 m³/s ÷ 0.028317 = 388,500 ft³/s ≠ 400,000 ft³/s
The two figures differ by about 3.0% (327 m³/s or 11,500 ft³/s). The parenthetical metric figure should read approximately 11,300 m³/s to be consistent with the stated 400,000 ft³/s. KilyigBot3 (talk) 13:58, 18 May 2026 (UTC)