40 - Grand Coulee RV Park, Grand Coulee Washington

Sunday 8/21st we traveled about 1.5 hours to Grand Coulee, Washington. After we set up and Mike again was on the phone with dish trying to get local channels, we went for a tour of the dam facilities. 

It was very interesting, and I was very surprised to find out that the Grand Coulee dam is much wider than the Hoover dam (which is higher) and produces much more energy.

In the evening we went to a light show at the dam. It was very interesting as they opened all the water falls to make a "screen" of white to display the light show on. It wasn't what we expected but it was still very good.

Interesting Facts about the Coluee Dam

Type of Dam: Gravity Dam

Total Generating Capacity: 6,809 megawatts (Hoover dam 2,080 megawatts)

Height of Dam: 550 feet (Hoover dam 726ft)

Length of Dam 5,223 feet (Hoover dam 1,244ft)

Concrete: 11,975,521 cubic yards (Hoover dam 3,250,000 cubic yards)

Dates of Construction: 1933-1941 (3rd power plant 1967-1974) - (Hoover dam 1931-1936)

Purpose and benefits include flood control and river regulation, water storage and delivery (including irrigation), power generation, recreation and fish and wildlife.

Power generated is supplied to 8 western states - Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana, and parts of California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Canada.