Lower Monumental Dam

Lower Monumental Dam
View from the southwest
Location in the United States Show map of the United States Location in Washington Show map of Washington (state)
Country	United States
Location	Franklin and Walla Walla counties, Washington
Coordinates	46.563°N 118.539°W / 46.563; -118.539
Construction began	June 1961
Opening date	1969; 55 years ago (1969)
Operator(s)	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Concrete gravity, run-of-the-river
Impounds	Snake River
Height	100 feet (30 m)
Length	3,791 feet (1,155 m)
Spillway type	Service, gate-controlled
Reservoir
Creates	Lake Herbert G. West
Total capacity	432,000 acre⋅ft (0.53 km^3)[1]
Surface area	6,590 acres (26.7 km^2)
Normal elevation	540 ft (165 m)
Power Station
Turbines	6 x 135-153 MW[2]
Installed capacity	810 MW 932 MW (max)
Columbia River Basin

Lower Monumental Lock and Dam is a hydroelectric, concrete, run-of-the-river dam in the northwest United States. Located on the lower Snake River in southeast Washington, it bridges Franklin and Walla Walla counties;[3][4] it is six miles (10 km) south of Kahlotus and 43 miles (70 km) north of Walla Walla.

Lower Monumental Dam with the lock in the center of the river (far side in photo), the power generation on the northwest side of the river, and spillway in the middle of the dam, between the powerhouse and the lock.

Construction began in June 1961, and the main structure and three generators were completed 55 years ago in 1969, with an additional three generators finished in 1981. Generating capacity is 810 megawatts, with an overload capacity of 932 MW. The spillway has eight gates and is 572 feet (174 m) in length.

Built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lower Monumental Dam is part of the Columbia River Basin system of dams.

Behind the dam, Lake Herbert G. West is the reservoir; it extends 28 miles (45 km) east to the base of Little Goose Dam. Lake Sacajawea, formed from Ice Harbor Dam, runs 22 miles (35 km) southwest, downstream from the base of the dam.

Navigation lock

• Single-lift
• Width: 86 ft (26 m)
• Length: 666 ft (203 m)

See also

• List of dams in the Columbia River watershed
• Lower Granite Dam
• Little Goose Dam
• Ice Harbor Dam

References

1. "The Four Lower Snake River Dams". Bluefish.org. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
2. "Lower Monumental Dam". Washington.edu. Retrieved 17 July 2010. ^[dead link‍]
3. "Lower Monumental Dam". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (photo). March 19, 1964. p. 13.
4. "The Columbia River System Inside Story" (PDF). BPA.gov. pp. 14–15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.

External links

• Lower Monumental Lock & Dam @ US Army Corps of Engineers