Ice Harbor Lock & Dam celebrates 50 years
On Saturday, June 16 the Walla Walla District of the Corps of Engineers held a ceremony and open house in honor of Ice Harbor Lock & Dam's 50th Anniversary. Attendees included COL Robert Tipton, Commander, USACE Northwestern Division; LTC David Caldwell, Commander, USACE Walla Walla District; Bill Drummond, Deputy Administrator, Bonneville Power Administration; Northwest Congressional staff; current and former Corps staff; and hundreds of community members from the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The event was a wonderful way to celebrate the dam's years of service to the region and the nation, and to pay tribute to the many men and women who have worked to construct, operate, and maintain this massive piece of infrastructure.
Ice Harbor 50th Anniversary ceremony, during which COL Caldwell thanked "stakeholders in the commercial navigation industry on the river for their effort in moving that cargo including their professional association, the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association or PNWA."
Ice Harbor construction was originally authorized in 1945 to provide for navigation, hydroelectric power generation, water-based recreation, environmental stewardship through habitat management units, and irrigation benefits. Construction of the project officially began in January 1956. The nation's initial investment in the dam was significant, with construction costs for the dam, navigation lock, fish ladders, powerhouse and six generating units totaling nearly $217 million.
Today, Ice Harbor remains a major part of the infrastructure that supports economic development in the Northwest. As part of the Columbia Snake River System (CSRS), Ice Harbor supports a vital transportation link for the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Nearly 40 percent of the nation's wheat exports pass through this system, making it the #1 wheat export gateway in the U.S. The CSRS is also the #1 U.S. barley export gateway, #1 West Coast wood export gateway, #1 in West Coast mineral bulk exports, and #2 on the West Coast for auto imports. It is the third-largest grain export gateway in the world. The inland system, of which Ice Harbor is a part of, supports 10 million tons of cargo, valued at $3 billion annually.
In addition to navigation, Ice Harbor is a key part of the Walla Walla District's hydroelectric portfolio. Enough power for approximately 485,000 homes can be generated at the dam, to provide clean, reliable, renewable, efficient and flexible energy for the region. Including the power generated at Ice Harbor, the Walla Walla District is the Corps' second largest hydropower producer. Last year, the Walla Walla district dams provided almost a third of the residential power in WA, OR, and ID. Ice Harbor is key to ensuring the reliability of this system for years to come.
Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson speaking at the Ice Harbordedication on May 9, 1962.
PNWA founder Herb West is seated in the front row, third from the left.
PNWA staff were honored to attend the event, and to host a booth highlighting the many benefits of the Columbia Snake River System. We are also honored to continue our relationship with the project and with the Corps of Engineers, which has been built over our 78 year history. As many know, PNWA was founded in 1934 by Herbert G. West as the Inland Empire Waterways Association, to champion the idea of navigation from the Mouth of the Columbia River to Lewiston, ID. Herb West was an integral part of the advocacy efforts to move Ice Harbor, as well as the other seven locks and dams on the CSRS, through the federal authorization and construction process. In fact, the pool behind Lower Monumental Dam was named "Lake West" by Congress, in honor of PNWA's founder. Today, PNWA continues work to ensure the Corps receives adequate funding to safely operate and maintain this project and many others throughout the Northwest.
PNWA congratulates the Corps on Ice Harbor's 50 years of incredible service! We look forward to working with the Corps, our Northwest Congressional delegation, and PNWA's membership to ensure the Columbia Snake River System's next 50 are just as reliable as the last.