Ice Harbor Dam

Ice Harbor Dam
Name	Ice Harbor Dam
Location	near Burbank, Washington, Walla Walla County, Washington / Franklin County, Washington, Washington (state)
Status	Operational
Operator	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Dam type	Concrete gravity and run-of-the-river
Crosses	Snake River
Opening	1961
Reservoir	Lake Sacajawea (Washington)
Plant capacity	603.5 MW

Ice Harbor Dam

Ice Harbor Dam is a hydroelectric, navigation and flood-control facility on the Snake River near the confluence with the Columbia River in southeastern Washington (state). Completed in 1961 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Columbia River Basin development, the project provides hydroelectric power, barge navigation, and river regulation feeding regional power grid systems and inland waterway transport networks. The site lies upstream of Lower Monumental Lock and Dam and downstream of Little Goose Dam, forming a contiguous lock-and-dam cascade that shaped twentieth-century river management across the Pacific Northwest.

History

The Ice Harbor project emerged from mid-twentieth-century federal initiatives such as the Bonneville Project legacy and the Columbia Basin Project expansion, reflecting policy debates involving the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Tennessee Valley Authority model, and legislators from Washington (state), including members of the United States Congress representing Washington's 5th congressional district. Planning incorporated precedents from the Grand Coulee Dam program and coordination with the Bonneville Power Administration for regional electricity distribution. Construction began after authorization by Congress and collaboration between contractors and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, bringing engineers with experience from projects like Coulee Dam and lessons from earlier river infrastructure such as The Dalles Dam. The opening ceremonies in 1961 occurred amid economic shifts tied to Port of Pasco trade patterns and evolving navigation on the Columbia-Snake river system. Subsequent decades saw litigation and advocacy by conservation organizations including Sierra Club, Native American tribes such as the Nez Perce Tribe and Yakama Nation, and scientific assessments from institutions like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Design and Specifications

Engineered as a concrete gravity dam with a spillway and powerhouse complex, the facility mirrors design principles applied at John Day Dam and McNary Dam. The powerhouse contains multiple Kaplan-type turbines supplied by manufacturers who previously worked on projects for Alstom and Voith Hydro installations. Structural dimensions and hydraulic head were optimized relative to flow regimes measured by the United States Geological Survey gauging stations on the Snake River and calibrated against seasonal discharges influenced by snowmelt from the Rocky Mountains and runoff from the Blue Mountains (Washington). The reservoir, Lake Sacajawea, provides a navigable pool comparable in function to reservoirs like Lake Wallula and incorporates control systems compliant with standards promulgated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for safety instrumentation and remote monitoring. Design documentation referenced environmental guidance from agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency during later retrofit studies.

Power Generation and Operations

Owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the hydroelectric plant interconnects with the Bonneville Power Administration transmission network and supports customers across the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West. Installed capacity near 603.5 MW derives from multi-unit turbines with generation dispatch coordinated by regional balancing authorities including the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and utilities such as Pacificorp and Avista Corporation. Operations integrate with the Columbia River Treaty era management frameworks and contemporary agreements affecting reservoir levels and peaking schedules. Maintenance, upgrades, and fish-friendly turbine retrofits have involved contractors and researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and manufacturers known within the hydroelectric industry. Emergency action planning coordinates with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state agencies of Washington (state).

Navigation and Lock Facilities

The lock complex provides 86 ft of lift enabling commercial navigation for barges serving inland ports like Port of Pasco, Port of Kennewick, and Port of Portland. The lock dimensions follow standards common to the U.S. inland waterway system and are interoperable with tow configurations originating from the Columbia River Bar and servicing grain terminals tied to the Pacific Northwest grain trade. Lock operations are timed with seasonal commodities flows and coordinated among regional authorities including the U.S. Coast Guard for vessel safety and the Army Corps' Navigation Operations. Ice Harbor functions within a cascade that includes Lower Monumental Lock and Dam, Little Goose Lock and Dam, and downstream facilities such as McNary Dam, forming an integrated navigation corridor central to export logistics for the Wheat Belt and agricultural exporters linked to entities like the Grain Elevator and Processing Society.

Environmental and Ecological Impact

The project has been central to debates over anadromous fish migrations involving Columbia River salmon and steelhead trout, with implications for treaty-protected fishing rights of tribes including the Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and Yakama Nation. Fish passage facilities, spill operations, and transport programs were developed in concert with the National Marine Fisheries Service and state agencies such as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Scientific monitoring by universities including University of Washington, Washington State University, and federal labs has evaluated smolt survival, entrainment, and predator-prey dynamics with species like northern pikeminnow. Habitat mitigation efforts have referenced conservation programs coordinated with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and environmental advocacy groups such as Earthjustice and The Nature Conservancy. Reservoir-induced changes affected riparian corridors, wetland areas overseen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and water temperature regimes studied in peer-reviewed work by researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Recreation and Surrounding Infrastructure

Lake Sacajawea created by the dam supports recreational boating, angling, and parks managed by local jurisdictions like Walla Walla County, Washington and municipalities such as Burbank, Washington and Pasco, Washington. Marina facilities, shoreline parks, and picnic areas connect to regional trails promoted by organizations including the Blue Mountain Scenic Railway partners and tourism bureaus like the Visit Tri-Cities cooperative. Nearby transportation links include highways Interstate 82, U.S. Route 12 (Washington), and rail corridors operated by companies such as BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, serving agricultural export chains to ports including the Port of Longview and Port of Portland. Educational signage and interpretive centers developed with institutions like the Henry M. Jackson Foundation and local historical societies provide public history relating to mid-century infrastructure development.

Category:Dams in Washington (state) Category:Hydroelectric power stations in Washington (state)