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Archive: 2023
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  • August

    photos of lower granite during construction and present day overlaid with eachother

    The end of a long journey: a history of Lower Granite Lock and Dam

    It was early in the morning and a steam-powered paddleboat made its way up the lower Snake River, trimmed with colored flags. The date was June 19, 1975, and the mood was festive. The vessel was heading for Lower Granite Lock and Dam, whose pool had been raised just four months prior.
  • These staircases allow access to Lucky Peak’s piezometers, an essential component to dam safety at Lucky Peak Dam. A piezometer is a geotechnical instrument that measures changes of water level or water pressure beneath the surface. There are 25 piezometers specifically arranged at Lucky Peak Dam to gather risk assessment data for engineers. The piezometers extend to different lengths beneath the surface to measure water depth at specific locations.

    Piezometers: An essential component to dam safety

    Congress has invested $665,000 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to install new prefabricated staircases for the safety of maintenance workers who use the staircases to inspect the condition of Luck Peak Dam.

  • July

    Inside Ice Harbor Lock and Dam's Powerhouse in which Units 1-3 will be replaced with improved fish passaged turbines.

    USACE Plans Fish Survival Testing this Fall on the Second Improved Fish Passage Turbine

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District has started the installation process in Unit 1 for another adjustable blade turbine designed for improved fish passage. The Corps has been working diligently to decrease fish injury and improve survival rates through turbines designed for improved fish passage at Ice Harbor Lock and Dam.
  • Dworshak Dam changed many times during its design. The original plans in 1948 described that it would be 370 feet tall. Later plans increased the height to 570 feet, then 630 feet. When Dworshak Dam was constructed, its final height was 717 feet tall.

    Larger than life: A history of Dworshak Dam

    In May 1948, floodwaters on the Columbia River overtopped the cofferdam where construction was underway on McNary Lock and Dam. This flood, one of the largest on record, was one of many documented in the region since the mid-1880s. The propensity for flooding in the Northwest sparked much discussion about regional flood control.

  • June

    Little Goose was completed in 1970, though additional work would be done over the next several years. The most notable of these additions was the placement of three more turbine units, filling out the powerhouse. These units were completed in 1978. Little Goose is now 53 years old.

    Waiting in the wings: A history of Little Goose Lock and Dam

    By 1962, Ice Harbor Lock and Dam had been built and construction of the second lower Snake River dam, Lower Monumental, was being passed to the US Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District. The third dam in the queue was right on the heels of Lower Monumental, but construction could not begin until the details of its downstream neighbor were determined.

  • May

    The construction of Lower Monumental Lock and Dam allowed for the development of an isolated region. Today, Lower Monumental allows convenient river crossing, as well as shoreline recreational opportunities. Boating is one of the primary activities enjoyed by visitors to the Lower Monumental Project. USACE parks along Lake West include six boat ramps, as well as multiple sites for picnicking and hiking. More than 6,900 acres of the project lands are open to public hunting.

    'We’ll cross that bridge…': A history of Lower Monumental Lock and Dam

    Lower Monumental Lock and Dam sits on a remote stretch of the Snake River, in a landscape of wheat fields and rolling hills. The only town within a 20-minute drive is Kahlotus, Washington, six miles north, with a population of less than 200. The only major road is State Highway 261, which crosses the river at Lyons Ferry, 18 miles upriver.

  • April

    computer-generated imagery of the river bottom. first image shows riverbed before dredging. Second image shows riverbed after dredging.

    First Bipartisan Infrastructure Law project is a story of success for the Walla Walla District

    The Walla Walla District recently completed dredging work at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers near Lewiston, Idaho and downstream of Ice Harbor Dam. This is the first project the district has completed using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.
  • photo of ice harbor spillway and photo of ice harbor powerhouse

    From water to watts: A history of Ice Harbor Lock and Dam

    Ice Harbor Lock and Dam boasts some of the most cutting-edge hydropower technology in the world. Two advanced technology turbines currently sit in the powerhouse, with a third one on the way. These new turbines were designed to improve fish passage and generate electricity more efficiently.

  • March

    Today, McNary is an essential part of the river highway that was envisioned before the formation of the Walla Walla District. It sits as the midpoint, the last lock on the Columbia before the mouth of the Snake River. With its 14 generator units, McNary is also an incredible source of hydropower, capable of producing 980-megawatts or enough electricity to power about 686,000 homes.

    A step towards navigable waters: A history of McNary Lock and Dam

    As people moved into the Pacific Northwest, communities grew around the rivers, especially the Columbia and Snake. Back then, the rivers were temperamental and hard to navigate. However, there was a vision to create a river highway, one that would allow barges to carry cargo from the Pacific Ocean to the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, 465 miles inland.

  • February

    Lucky Peak Dam became the first dam to be designed and constructed by the new Walla Walla District. Since its construction, Lucky Peak is estimated to have prevented over a billion dollars of flood damage.

    Guarding the Treasure Valley: A history of Lucky Peak Dam

    Every year, snowmelt from the surrounding mountains flows into creeks and streams that join the Boise River. When flows reach 7,000 cubic feet per second or higher, the river is considered at flood stage.

  • January

    The Mill Creek Project is over 80 years old, older than the Walla Walla District, which will be celebrating its 75th Anniversary on Nov. 1, 2023. Since construction was completed in 1942, at least $300 million in potential flood damages have been prevented by the Mill Creek Project’s combined storage and channel operations.

    Through fair or foul weather: A history of the Mill Creek Project

    In 1931, a torrent of brown water roared down Mill Creek, with water levels rising at a rate of one foot per hour. The water escaped the confines of the riverbanks and rushed through the City of Walla Walla, destroying homes, roads and bridges. Born in the wake of this disastrous event, the Mill Creek Project now stands to protect the city from floods like this.