Boundary Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boundary Dam |
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 Location of Boundary Dam in Washington
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Pend Oreille County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 48°59′14″N 117°20′51″W / 48.98722°N 117.34750°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1967 |
| Owner(s) | City of Seattle |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Arch-gravity |
| Impounds | Pend Oreille River |
| Height | 340 ft (100 m) |
| Length | 740 ft (230 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 95,000 acre⋅ft (117,000,000 m3) |
| Catchment area | 25,200 sq mi (65,000 km2) |
| Surface area | 1,668 acres (6.75 km2) |
| Power station | |
| Installed capacity | 1,003.25 MW |
| Annual generation | 3,587 GWh |
Boundary Dam is a huge concrete wall built across the Pend Oreille River in the state of Washington. It was finished in 1967. This amazing dam helps make electricity using the power of water! It is known as a hydroelectric dam.
The dam is located in the very northeast corner of Washington state. It is managed by a company called Seattle City Light. This dam provides a lot of the electricity used by the city of Seattle. In fact, it often creates more than 46% of the power Seattle City Light uses.
How Boundary Dam Works
Boundary Dam is a special kind of dam called an arch-gravity dam. This means it's built with a curve, like an arch, to push the water's pressure onto the sides of the canyon. It's also very heavy, like a gravity dam, to hold back the water.
Making Electricity
The dam's main job is to make clean energy. It does this using the force of water. Water flows through large pipes inside the dam. This spinning water turns giant machines called turbines. These turbines then power generators that create electricity.
The power plant next to the dam is called Boundary Powerhouse. It's built right inside the rock next to the dam! This powerhouse can produce over 1 gigawatt of electricity. That's enough power for many, many homes.
A Historic Structure
In 2018, parts of the Boundary Dam project were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site in the United States. It's a cool way to remember its history and how it helps us today.
Fun Fact: A Movie Star Dam
Did you know Boundary Dam was once in a movie? A part of the film The Postman, starring Kevin Costner, was filmed right on the front of the dam. For a short time in 1997, the dam's face was decorated to look like a town from the movie!
