List Of Hydroelectric Dams On The Columbia River
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There are more than 60 dams in the
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
watershed in the United States and Canada. Tributaries of the Columbia River and their dammed tributaries, as well as the main stem itself, each have their own list below. The dams are listed in the order as they are found from source to terminus. Many of the dams in the Columbia River watershed were not created for the specific purposes of water storage or flood protection. Instead, the primary purpose of many of these dams is to produce hydroelectricity. As can be seen in the lists, these dams provide many tens of gigawatts of power. Major dam construction began in the early 20th century and picked up the pace after the Columbia River Treaty in the 1960s, by the mid 1980s all the big dams were finished. Including just the dams listed below, there are 60 dams in the watershed, with 14 on the Columbia, 20 on the Snake, seven on the Kootenay, seven on the Pend Oreille /
Clark Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educate ...
, two on the Flathead, eight on the Yakima, and two on the Owyhee. Averaging a major dam every , the rivers in the Columbia watershed combine to generate over 36,000 megawatts of power, with the majority coming on the main stem. Grand Coulee Dam is the largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States, generating 6,809 megawatts, over one-sixth of all power in the basin. In addition to providing ample power for the people of the Pacific Northwest, the reservoirs created by the dams have created numerous recreational opportunities, including fishing, boating, and windsurfing. Furthermore, by creating a constant flow and consistent depth along the river channel, the series of locks and dams have allowed for
Lewiston, Idaho Lewiston is a city and the county seat of Nez Perce County, Idaho, United States, in the state's north central region. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene, and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is ...
, to become the furthest inland seaport on the west coast of the United States. Despite the numerous benefits to humans that the dams have provided, a number of environmental consequences have manifested as a result of the dams, including a negative impact on salmonid populations of the basin. The organization of the following lists begins with the Columbia River dams and is followed by dams on its tributaries (in order of length) and their respective watersheds. Additionally, the table of contents below is indented to indicate tributary status of each river.


Main stem

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from
headwater The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source. Definition The ...
(
Columbia Lake Columbia Lake is the primary lake at the headwaters of the Columbia River, in British Columbia, Canada. It is fed by several small tributaries. The village of Canal Flats is located at the south end of the lake. Columbia Lake is a fresh water lak ...
, BC) to mouth ( Pacific Ocean, OR/WA).


Snake River The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from
headwater The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source. Definition The ...
( Two Oceans Plateau, WY) to mouth Columbia River, WA.


Salmon River dams


=

Little Salmon River The Little Salmon River is a tributary of the Salmon River (Idaho), Salmon River in Idaho. The river is approximately long and drains of land. Course The Little Salmon River rises at in elevation on Blue Bunch Ridge in the Sawtooth Range (Id ...
dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwater (north West Mountain, ID) to mouth (Salmon River, ID)


Owyhee River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (near Double Mountain, NV) to mouth (Snake River, OR/ID)


=

South Fork Owyhee River The Owyhee River is a tributary of the Snake River located in northern Nevada, southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon in the United States. It is long.Owyhee Rive accessed November 3, 2019 The river's drainage basin is in area, one of the l ...
dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwater (north
Tuscarora Mountains The Tuscarora Mountains are a mountain range in Elko and Eureka counties of northern, Nevada. The southern perimeter of the north-south mountain range is the Humboldt River and valley. The community of Tuscarora lies on the east flank of the range ...
, NV) to mouth (Owyhee River, ID)


Malheur River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (Logan Valley, OR) to mouth (Snake River, OR/ID)


Grande Ronde River dams


=

Wallowa River The Wallowa River is a tributary of the Grande Ronde River, approximately long, in northeastern Oregon in the United States. It drains a valley on the Columbia Plateau in the northeast corner of the state north of Wallowa Mountains. The Wallowa ...
dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwater (near Pete's Point,
Eagle Cap Wilderness Eagle Cap Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon (United States), within the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest.
, OR) to mouth (Grande Ronde River, OR)


Powder River Powder River may refer to: Places * Powder River (Wyoming and Montana), in Wyoming and Montana in the United States * Powder River Country, the area around the above river * Powder River (Oregon), in Oregon in the United States * Powder River Ba ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (confluence of McCully Fork and Cracker Creek, OR) to mouth (Snake River, OR/ID)


Blackfoot River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (confluence of Diamond and Lanes Creeks, ID) to mouth (Snake River, ID)


Henrys Fork dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater ( Henrys Lake, ID) to mouth (Snake River, ID)


=

Fall River Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The City of Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state. Located along the eastern shore of Mount H ...
dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwater (
Pitchstone Plateau There are nine named plateaus in Yellowstone National Park. These plateaus are part of the much larger Yellowstone Plateau and dominate areas in the park south and west of the Gallatin Range, Gallatin and Absaroka Range, Absaroka mountain range ...
, WY) to mouth (Henrys Fork, ID)


Portneuf River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (southeast of Higham Peak, ID) to mouth (Snake River, ID)


Salmon Falls Creek Salmon Falls Creek is a tributary of the Snake River, flowing from northern Nevada into Idaho in the United States. Formed in high mountains at the northern edge of the Great Basin, Salmon Falls Creek flows northwards ,U.S. Geological Survey. ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (
Jarbidge Mountains The Jarbidge Mountains are a mountain range in northern Elko County, Nevada, United States. The range includes multiple sub-ranges, including the Bruneau Range, Buck Creek Mountains, Copper Mountains, Elk Mountains, Fox Creek Range, Ichabod Ra ...
, NV) to mouth (Snake River, ID)


Boise River The Boise River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. , accessed May 3, 2011 tributary of the Snake River in the Northwestern United States. It drains a rugged portion of the Sawtooth Range in sou ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (confluence of North and Middle Forks Boise River, ID) to mouth (Snake River, ID/OR)


=

South Fork Boise River The Boise River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. , accessed May 3, 2011 tributary of the Snake River in the Northwestern United States. It drains a rugged portion of the Sawtooth Range in sou ...
dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwater (confluence of Ross Fork and Johnson Creek, ID) to mouth (Boise River, ID)


Goose Creek dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (near Monument Peak, ID) to mouth (Snake River, ID)


Weiser River The Weiser River is a tributary of the Snake River in western Idaho in the United States. It drains a mountainous area of consisting primarily of low rolling foothills intersected by small streams south and east of Hells Canyon along the Idaho ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (near Brush Mountain, ID) to mouth (Snake River, ID/OR)


Burnt River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (confluence of North and
South Fork Burnt River The South Fork Burnt River is a tributary of the Burnt River in Baker County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Its headwaters lie in the Monument Rock Wilderness and the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest of the Blue Mountains. It flows generally nor ...
s, OR) to mouth (Snake River, OR/ID)


Willow Creek dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (
Blackfoot Mountains The Blackfoot Mountains, also called the Blackfoot Range, is a small range of mountains located east of Blackfoot, Idaho, Blackfoot, Idaho. Most of the area is private property, including the range's tallest mountain, Taylor Mountain. This mounta ...
, ID) to mouth (Snake River, ID)


Payette River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (confluence of South and Middle Forks Payette River, ID) to mouth (Snake River, ID/OR)


=

North Fork Payette River The North Fork Payette River () is a river in the western United States in western Idaho. It flows about southwards from the Salmon River Mountains to near Banks, where it empties into the Payette River, a tributary of the Snake River. It ...
dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwater (Squaw Meadows, ID) to mouth (Payette River, ID)


=

South Fork Payette River The Payette River () is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 3, 2011 river in southwestern Idaho and is a major tributary of the Snake River. Its headwaters originate ...
dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwater (near
Vernon Lake Vernon Lake is a man-made lake in Vernon Parish, Louisiana. In 1963, Vernon Lake was created by the impounding of Anacoco Creek (Anacoco Bayou), creating a lake for the purpose of water supply and recreation. The lake is five miles west of Lees ...
, ID) to mouth (Payette River, ID)


Clearwater River dams


=

North Fork Clearwater River The North Fork Clearwater River is a major tributary of the Clearwater River in the U.S. state of Idaho. From its headwaters in the Bitterroot Mountains of eastern Idaho, it flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolu ...
dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwater (near Illinois Peak, ID/MT) to mouth (Clearwater River, ID)


Malad River dams


= Big Wood River dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwater (near Galena Summit, ID) to mouth (Malad River, ID)


Camas Creek

Dams are listed in order from headwater (near Packer Butte, ID) to mouth (Big Wood River, ID)


=

Little Wood River Little Wood River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 4, 2011 river in south-central Idaho in the United States. It is a tributary of the Malad River, which in turn ...
dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwater (
Standhope Peak Standhope Peak, at above sea level is the fourth highest peak in the Pioneer Mountains of Idaho. The peak is located in Salmon-Challis National Forest and Custer County. It is the 20th highest peak in Idaho and about northeast of Peak 11,887 ...
, ID) to mouth (Malad River, ID)


Kootenay River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (near
Castle Mountain Castle Mountain ( bla, Miistukskoowa) is a mountain located within Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, approximately halfway between Banff and Lake Louise. It is the easternmost mountain of the Main Ranges in the Bow Valley and sits ...
,
Beaverfoot Range The Beaverfoot Range () is a mountain range of the Canadian Rockies, located in southeastern British Columbia. The range extends from Cedared Creek near Spillimacheen north to the Kicking Horse River The Kicking Horse River is in the Canadian ...
, BC) to mouth (Columbia River, BC).


Bull River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (
Canadian Rockies The Canadian Rockies (french: Rocheuses canadiennes) or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part ...
) to mouth (Kootenay River, BC).


Elk River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater ( Upper Elk Lake) to mouth (Kootenay River, BC).


Duncan River Duncan River may refer to: Canada *Duncan River (British Columbia) The Duncan River is in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. Entering the North Arm of Kootenay Lake, the river is a major tributary of the Kootenay River, ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (near Mount Dawson) to mouth (Kootenay River, BC).


Mark Creek dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (
Purcell Mountains The Purcell Mountains are a mountain range in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. They are a subrange of the Columbia Mountains, which includes the Selkirk, Monashee, and Cariboo Mountains. They are located on the west side of the Rocky Mounta ...
) to mouth (Kootenay River, BC).


Pend Oreille River /

Clark Fork River The Clark Fork, or the Clark Fork of the Columbia River, is a river in the U.S. states of Montana and Idaho, approximately long. The largest river by volume in Montana, it drains an extensive region of the Rocky Mountains in western Montana and ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater of Clark Fork River (
Silver Bow Creek Silver Bow Creek is a headwater stream of the Clark Fork (river) originating within the city limits of Butte, Montana, from the confluence of Little Basin and Blacktail Creeks. A former northern tributary, Yankee Doodle Creek, no longer flows di ...
, MT) to mouth of Pend Oreille River (Columbia River, BC).


Flathead River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (Confluence of North Fork and Middle Fork Flathead River) to mouth (
Clark Fork River The Clark Fork, or the Clark Fork of the Columbia River, is a river in the U.S. states of Montana and Idaho, approximately long. The largest river by volume in Montana, it drains an extensive region of the Rocky Mountains in western Montana and ...
).


Deschutes River Deschutes River may refer to: *Deschutes River (Oregon) The Deschutes River in central Oregon is a major tributary of the Columbia River. The river provides much of the drainage on the eastern side of the Cascade Range in Oregon, gathering many ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater ( Little Lava Lake, OR) to mouth (
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
, WA/OR).


Yakima River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater ( Keechelus Lake, WA) to mouth (
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
, WA).


Cle Elum River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwaters (near
Mount Daniel Mount Daniel is the highest summit on the Cascade Range crest of Alpine Lakes Wilderness of the central Washington, USA. It is the highest point in King and Kittitas counties. Streams on its eastern slopes form the headwaters of the Cle Elum R ...
, WA) to mouth ( Yakima River, WA).


Kachess River Kachess River is a tributary of the Yakima River, in the U.S. state of Washington. From its source on Chickamin Ridge in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness region of the Cascade Range, the Kachess River flows south into Kachess Lake, a natural lake regu ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from headwaters (Three Queens, WA) to mouth ( Yakima River, WA).


Naches River dams


= Bumping River dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwaters (near Crag Mountain, WA) to mouth ( Naches River, WA).


= Tieton River dams

= Dams are listed in order from headwaters (
Goat Rocks Goat Rocks is an extinct stratovolcano in the Cascade Range, located between Mount Rainier and Mount Adams in southern Washington, in the United States. Part of the Cascade Volcanoes, it was formed by the subduction of the Juan de Fuca ...
, WA) to mouth ( Naches River, WA).


Willamette River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwaters (Confluence of
Middle Fork Willamette River The Middle Fork Willamette River is one of several forks that unite to form the Willamette River in the western part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is approximately long, draining an area of the Cascade Range southeast of Eugene, which is at th ...
and Coast Fork Willamette River, OR/WA) to mouth (Columbia River, OR)


Santiam River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwaters (confluence of North Santiam and South Santiam rivers) to mouth (Willamette River, OR).


Middle Fork Willamette River The Middle Fork Willamette River is one of several forks that unite to form the Willamette River in the western part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is approximately long, draining an area of the Cascade Range southeast of Eugene, which is at th ...
dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (Timpanogas Lake, OR) to mouth (Willamette River, OR).


McKenzie River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater ( Clear Lake, OR) to mouth (Willamette River, OR).


Coast Fork Willamette River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (Confluence of Big River and
Garoutte Creek Garoutte Creek is a tributary of the Little River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Rising along the Calapooya Divide near the border between Lane and Douglas counties, it flows generally northeast to meet the larger stream near Black Butte. The butte ...
, OR) to mouth (Willamette River).


Spokane River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater ( Lake Coeur d'Alene, ID) to mouth (Columbia River, WA).


Cowlitz River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (confluence of the
Ohanapecosh River The Ohanapecosh River ( ) (spelled as áwxanapayk-ash in the language of the Yakima Nation and Cowlitz Tribe) is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the main headwater tributary of the Cowlitz River, which begins at the confluence of ...
and the Clear Fork of the Cowlitz River, WA) to mouth (Columbia River, WA)


Lewis River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater ( Adams Glacier, Mount Adams, WA) to mouth (Columbia River, WA)


Spillimacheen River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (
Canadian Rockies The Canadian Rockies (french: Rocheuses canadiennes) or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part ...
) to mouth (Columbia River, BC).


Wenatchee River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater (
Lake Wenatchee Lake Wenatchee is a glacier- and snowmelt-fed lake situated in the Wenatchee National Forest on the eastern slopes of the Cascades Mountain Range in the state of Washington. Lake Wenatchee covers and reaches a depth of . Lake Wenatchee is the so ...
, WA) to mouth (Columbia River, WA)


Chelan River dams

Dams are listed in order from headwater ( Lake Chelan, WA) to mouth (Columbia River, WA)


See also

* List of lakes in Washington (state) *
List of tallest dams in the world This is a list of the tallest dams in the world over in height. The tallest dam in the world is the Jinping-I Dam, an arch dam in China at . The tallest embankment dam and second tallest dam in the world is the Nurek Dam in Tajikistan. The tall ...
* Dams in the Colorado River system * List of reservoirs and dams in the United States * Columbia River Treaty (US–Canadian treaty regulating hydroelectric development)


Notes


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dams in the Columbia River watershed *
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
Hydroelectric power stations in British Columbia Hydroelectric power plants in Oregon * Dams in the Columbia River watershed Dams in the Columbia River watershed Dams in the Columbia River watershed Dams in the Columbia River watershed Dams Columbia dams