▁dedicated ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁October ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁and ▁work ▁was ▁officially ▁complete ▁on ▁ 8 ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁By ▁October ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁the ▁dam ' s ▁hydro elect ric ▁power ▁station ▁began ▁to ▁produce ▁electric ity . ▁ ▁Character istics ▁ ▁The ▁Fal con ▁Dam ▁is ▁a ▁ ▁high ▁and ▁ ▁long ▁ear then ▁emb ank ment ▁dam . ▁The ▁dam ▁is ▁made ▁of ▁ ▁of ▁earth - fill , ▁ ▁of ▁concrete ▁and ▁ ▁of ▁rein for ced ▁steel . ▁The ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁dam ▁is ▁over - to pped ▁with ▁a ▁ ▁long ▁sp ill way ▁with ▁width s ▁r anging ▁from ▁ ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁and ▁ ▁at ▁the ▁bottom . ▁The ▁sp ill way ▁is ▁controlled ▁by ▁six ▁ ▁fixed ▁wheel ▁gates ▁and ▁can ▁release ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁down stream . ▁ ▁The ▁Fal con ▁Dam ▁supplies ▁water ▁to ▁two ▁different ▁hydro elect ric ▁power ▁plants , ▁one ▁on ▁the ▁Mexican ▁side ▁and ▁another ▁on ▁the ▁U . S . ▁side . ▁Each ▁power ▁plant ▁contains ▁ 3 ▁x ▁ 1 0 . 5 ▁M W ▁Francis ▁tur bine ▁gener ators ▁for ▁a ▁combined ▁total ▁of ▁ 6 3 ▁M W . ▁Each ▁power ▁plant ▁also ▁receives ▁water ▁from ▁the ▁res er voir ▁via ▁ 4 ▁x ▁ ▁diameter ▁pen stock s . ▁The ▁two ▁extra ▁pen stock s ▁are ▁for ▁an ▁additional ▁generator ▁if ▁needed . ▁ ▁The ▁Fal con ▁Dam ▁created ▁the ▁Fal con ▁International