Advertisement

Topic: Bonneville Dam

Jump to
Latest Headlines

Bonneville Dam News




Wiki

Bonneville Lock and Dam (pronounced /ˈbɒnɨvɨl/) consists of several dam structures that together complete a span of the Columbia River between the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington at River Mile 146.1. The dam is located 40 miles (64 km) east of Portland, Oregon, in the Columbia River Gorge. The primary functions of Bonneville Lock and Dam are electrical power generation and river navigation. The dam was built and is managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Electrical power generated at Bonneville is distributed by the Bonneville Power Administration. Bonneville Lock and Dam is named for Army Capt. Benjamin Bonneville, an early explorer credited with charting much of the Oregon Trail. The Bonneville Dam Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1987.

In 1896, prior to this damming of the river, the Cascade Locks and Canal were constructed, allowing ships to pass the Cascades Rapids, located several miles upstream of Bonneville.

During the New Deal, the Army Corps of Engineers constructed a new lock and a powerhouse which were on the south (Oregon) side of Bradford Island, and a spillway on the north (Washington) side. These were started in 1934 and finished in 1937.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bonneville Dam."