The Divide Cut was investigated as a candidate for the use of nuclear explosives as part of [[Project Plowshare]]. Three routes were considered, including the "Yellow Creek route" that was eventually chosen for the conventional excavation. The "Bear Creek route" was considered best for nuclear explosives, as it was rocky and more likely to be stable following blasts. The nuclear excavation proposal for Bear Creek envisioned 81 nuclear devices ranging from 10 to 50 [[kiloton]]s, with a total explosive yield of 1.9 megatons. A cost analysis indicated that nuclear explosives would increase costs from 31 to 73 percent over conventional excavation on the Yellow Creek route. Two safety analyses recommended that the project not be pursued. The studies projected severe damage to nearby communities from air blast, seismic motion, groundwater contamination, and fallout. No further study was undertaken and conventional excavation was pursued.<ref name="beck et al 2011">{{cite journal |last1=Beck |first1=Colleen |last2=Edwards |first2=Susan R. |last3=King |first3=Maureen L. |title=The Off-Site Plowshare and Vela Uniform Programs: Assessing Potential Environmental Liabilities through an Examination of Proposed Nuclear Projects, High Explosive Experiments, and High Explosive Construction Activities, Volume 2 |journal=Cultural Resource Technical Report No. 111 |date=September 2011 |pages=229-330 |url=http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2014/ph241/powell1/docs/1046575.pdf |access-date=29 July 2023 |publisher=Desert Research Institute |location=Las Vegas, Nevada}}</ref>
