Albeni Falls Dam

Albeni Falls Dam
Name	Albeni Falls Dam
Location	Bonner County, Idaho, United States
Status	Operational
Opening	1955
Owner	United States Army Corps of Engineers
Dam type	Concrete spillway with gated crest
Height	90ft
Length	1,400ft
Reservoir	Lake Pend Oreille
Plant capacity	42 MW (approx.)

Albeni Falls Dam Albeni Falls Dam is a hydroelectric and flood-control facility on the Pend Oreille River in northern Idaho near the community of Oldtown. The project, authorized and constructed in the mid-20th century, integrates riverine regulation, power generation, navigation, and recreation, and is managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as part of a network of Columbia Basin infrastructure. Located downstream of Lake Pend Oreille and upstream of the Pend Oreille River, the dam interacts with regional water resources, transportation corridors, and wildlife habitats.

History

Planning for the project arose from flood problems and navigation needs treated in post-World War II regional development programs involving the U.S. Congress, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and agencies influenced by the Flood Control Act of 1944 and subsequent water-resources legislation. Early studies referenced hydrologic data from Lake Pend Oreille and coordination with projects on the Columbia River system, including works by the Bonneville Power Administration and proposals connected to the Grand Coulee Dam and the Hungry Horse Dam. Construction began under federal contract in the early 1950s with labor and material supplied from nearby industrial centers such as Spokane, Washington and Sandpoint, Idaho. The facility was completed and placed in operation in the 1950s amid Cold War-era infrastructure expansion and regional economic programs developed by the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Senate Committee on Public Works.

Design and Construction

The dam was designed by engineers from the United States Army Corps of Engineers and fabricated using materials procured via contracts with firms headquartered in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain states. Structural plans reflected lessons from earlier masonry and concrete projects such as Shasta Dam and Grand Coulee Dam, adopting gated spillway control similar to installations at Folsom Dam and Bonneville Dam. The powerplant equipment was specified in consultations with the Bonneville Power Administration and manufacturers with histories traced to companies involved in hydroelectric generation at sites like Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam. Construction mobilized heavy machinery types used in large civil works, including cranes, pile drivers, and concrete batching units supplied from firms in Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon.

Operation and Hydrography

Albeni Falls Dam operates as a run-of-river and peaking facility, coordinating releases with upstream regulation at Lake Pend Oreille and downstream needs for the Columbia River Treaty era adjustments and power scheduling by the Bonneville Power Administration. The project is integrated into regional river forecasting systems managed by agencies such as the National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, employing instrumentation akin to gauging stations used across the Columbia River Basin. Flow regimes consider obligations to the National Marine Fisheries Service and water-rights frameworks influenced by courts and compacts like precedents from the United States Supreme Court water adjudications. Navigation and flood-control operations have been synchronized with transportation entities including the Union Pacific Railroad and state departments such as the Idaho Transportation Department.

Environmental and Ecological Impacts

Environmental studies conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state natural-resource agencies of Idaho and Washington (state), and academic researchers at institutions like University of Idaho and Washington State University have documented effects on anadromous fish passage, wetlands, and riparian habitats. Impacts on species referenced in conservation law such as those protected under the Endangered Species Act prompted mitigation measures in coordination with the Bonneville Power Administration and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Research has examined interactions with migratory birds monitored by organizations like the Audubon Society and aquatic ecology work connected to projects at Lake Pend Oreille Research Station and cooperative programs with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Sediment transport, reservoir trophic dynamics, and invasive species concerns have been subjects of peer-reviewed studies appearing in journals affiliated with the American Fisheries Society and university presses.

Recreation and Public Use

The reservoir and adjacent lands support recreational activities administered by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and state parks authorities, drawing visitors from metropolitan areas including Spokane, Washington and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Boating, angling, camping, and wildlife viewing occur alongside facilities comparable to those at Priest Lake State Park and Lake Coeur d'Alene, with trail systems linked to county recreation plans of Bonner County, Idaho. Local tourism promotion by chambers of commerce and visitor bureaus coordinates events similar to regional festivals in Sandpoint, Idaho, while fishing opportunities involve species managed under regulations set by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and clubs affiliated with the Trout Unlimited network.

Economic and Regional Significance

The dam contributes to regional electricity supply and grid stability administered by the Bonneville Power Administration and supports flood-risk reduction that benefits agricultural districts and municipalities including Oldtown, Idaho and Ponderay, Idaho. Economic analyses by state economic-development offices and regional planning bodies, referencing case studies from the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and federal economic assessments, highlight effects on property values, recreational economies, and industrial operations in the Inland Northwest. Coordination with federal programs administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and financing mechanisms shaped by legislation debated in the United States Congress illustrate the project's role in mid-20th-century and contemporary infrastructure portfolios.

Category:Dams in Idaho Category:United States Army Corps of Engineers dams