Little Goose Lock and Dam is a

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...

, concrete,

run-of-the-river Run-of-river hydroelectricity (ROR) or run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation plant whereby little or no water storage is provided. Run-of-the-river power plants may have no water storage at all or a limited amou ...

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...

in the

northwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...

United States, on the lower

Snake River The Snake River is a major river in the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States. About long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Begin ...

in southeast

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. At the dam, the river is the border between Columbia and Whitman

counties A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

; it is northeast of Starbuck and north of

Dayton Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...

Description

Little Goose Dam is part of the

Columbia River Basin The Columbia River drainage basin is the drainage basin of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It covers . In common usage, the term often refers to a smaller area, generally the portion of the drainage basin tha ...

system of dams. Lake Bryan, named for Enoch Albert Bryan, is formed behind the dam. The lake stretches to the base of

Lower Granite Dam Lower Granite Lock and Dam is a concrete gravity Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity, run-of-the-river dam in southeastern Washington (state), Washington in the United States. On the lower Snake River, it bridges Whitman County, Washington, Whitman ...

, upstream. Lake Herbert G. West, formed from Lower Monumental Dam runs downstream from the base of the dam. Generating capacity is , with an overload capacity of ; the spillway has eight gates and is in length. ;Navigation lock * Single-lift * wide * long

History

Construction began in June 1963 on what was Little Goose Island. The main structure and three generators were completed in 1970, with an additional three generators finished in 1978. There have been calls to remove the Little Goose Lock and Dam along with the other Lower Snake River (LSR) dams due to their impact on the salmon population and the fishing rights of local Native American tribes in the region. Those in favor of keeping the dam argue that removing it would cause more reliance on fossil fuel based energy. Some species of salmon native to the Columbia River Basin are protected under the Endangered Species Act, which requires the federal government to come up with a plan to restore their populations. Breaching the Little Goose Dam and the other LSR dams is considered by many environmentalists to be the best option in restoring salmon populations quickly before they completely die out. In 1855 and 1856, the federal government negotiated treaties with local Columbia River Basin tribes that guaranteed them the right to fish for salmon in areas where people had started to colonize in exchange for several million acres of land. Tribes are arguing now that they can’t fish for salmon on ancestral lands anymore because the populations have declined so dramatically as a result of the dams. The Nez Perce Tribe, located in the area nearest to the Little Goose Lock and Dam, is one of the many Pacific Northwest (PNW) Tribes fighting for the LSR dams to be breached. Salmon and the acts of hunting and fishing are culturally significant to the tribes living in the Columbia River Basin. Salmon fishing is not only a major source of subsistence, but a spiritual tether to the land. The dams have altered the landscape where tribes have historically carried out their ways of life. It’s estimated that nearly 34,000 acres of land and 150 miles of riverside would be restored if the dams were breached, allowing tribal hunting and fishing to be revitalized in areas that have been flooded and/or engineered for decades. Breaching the dams would also provide PNW tribes along the Columbia River Basin the chance to care for and reconnect with places that are considered sacred or used for ceremonial purposes. Tribes argue the dams have significantly reduced tribal wealth and well-being; tearing them down would not only help restore the salmon population but also provide justice to PNW tribes. The Little Goose Dam alone generates 810 megawatts (MW) of electricity. The combined generated electricity of the 4 LSR dams is about 3000 MWs, or enough electricity to light 50 million light bulbs. Some argue breaching the dams would lead to fossil fuel reliance in the region. The Washington State Government has a goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and are highly considering solar and wind power to be the replacement energy sources for the dam.

References

External links

Little Goose Lock & Dam @ US Army Corps of Engineers
{{Authority control Dams completed in 1970 Energy infrastructure completed in 1970 Energy infrastructure completed in 1978 Buildings and structures in Columbia County, Washington Dams in Washington (state) Hydroelectric power plants in Washington (state) Buildings and structures in Whitman County, Washington Run-of-the-river power stations United States Army Corps of Engineers dams Dams on the Snake River Gravity dams

Description

History

See also

References

External links