Today we toured the Grand Coulee Dam. The first thing we saw was a very tired butterfly in the parking lot.
The river just below the dam seems very calm and peaceful. You would not expect to see a mile wide dam just up the river.
During the tour, we got to see the turbine room and the top of the dam. It made us a little dizzy to lean over the edge of the dam to see the spillway. On the top of the dam, you can see how narrow the distance between the two hills beside the dam really is. You can also see the reservoir on one side and the Columbia River on the other side. Finally, from the starting point of the tour, you can see the full dam and the irrigation pipes for the surrounding farms on top of the hill.
While the dam is known for its electrical production, it also serves as a major source of irrigation. Billions of dollars of produce are grown each year from the water pumped from the river, over the hills, into the surrounding valleys and plains.
The Grand Coulee Dam tour was interesting and informative. It was also a great break in a long drive.
Our drive to Post Falls Idaho was very straightforward and uneventful.