Libby Dam
Encyclopedia
Libby Dam is a dam
on the Kootenai River in the U.S. state
of Montana
.
Dedicated on August 24, 1975, Libby Dam spans the Kootenai River 17 miles (27.4 km) upstream from the town of Libby
, Montana
. Libby Dam is 422 feet (128.6 m) tall and 3055 feet (931.2 m) long. Lake Koocanusa
is the name of the reservoir
behind the dam; it extends 90 miles (144.8 km) upriver from the dam and has a maximum depth of about 370 feet (112.8 m) . Forty-two miles (68 km) of Lake Koocanusa are in British Columbia
, Canada
. Lake Koocanusa was named for the treaty that was developed between the Kootenai Indians (KOO) the Canadian government (CAN) and the U.S. government (USA) to build the Dam and form the reservoir. It is the fourth dam contructed under the Columbia River Treaty
. The Kootenai River is the third largest tributary to the Columbia river
, contributing almost 20% of the total water in the lower Columbia. Libby Dam holds back an average of 5800000 acre.ft of water.
The consulting architect for the project was Seattle architect Paul Thiry
, and the commission for its large granite bas-relief was awarded to sculptor Albert Wein
by competition.
In order to make way for the dam, the town of Rexford, Montana
was relocated and the Flathead Railroad Tunnel
was dug.
The dam is operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
. At full capacity, the dam can pass over 160000 cuft/s of water. The dam is designed with a selective withdrawal system that allows water passage from various levels of Lake Koocanusa. This allows the dam operators to moderate water temperatures downstream. The river continues past Bonners Ferry, Idaho
to Kootenay Lake
and joins the Columbia River
.
Libby Dam's powerhouse contains five turbines and is capable of generating 600 megawatts. The electricity is managed by the Bonneville Power Administration
and services eight states: Montana, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, California, Utah, Oregon and Nevada. The money earned from electricity sales goes to the United States Treasury to repay the cost of building and operating Libby Dam.
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
on the Kootenai River in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
.
Dedicated on August 24, 1975, Libby Dam spans the Kootenai River 17 miles (27.4 km) upstream from the town of Libby
Libby, Montana
Libby is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Montana, United States. The population was 2,626 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Libby is located at , along U.S. Route 2....
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. Libby Dam is 422 feet (128.6 m) tall and 3055 feet (931.2 m) long. Lake Koocanusa
Lake Koocanusa
Lake Koocanusa is a reservoir in British Columbia and Montana formed by the damming of the Kootenai River by the Libby Dam in 1975....
is the name of the reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
behind the dam; it extends 90 miles (144.8 km) upriver from the dam and has a maximum depth of about 370 feet (112.8 m) . Forty-two miles (68 km) of Lake Koocanusa are in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Lake Koocanusa was named for the treaty that was developed between the Kootenai Indians (KOO) the Canadian government (CAN) and the U.S. government (USA) to build the Dam and form the reservoir. It is the fourth dam contructed under the Columbia River Treaty
Columbia River Treaty
The Columbia River Treaty is an agreement between Canada and the United States of America on the development and operation of dams in the upper Columbia River basin for power and flood control benefits in both countries. For more information about the Columbia River Treaty, visit Columbia Basin...
. The Kootenai River is the third largest tributary to the Columbia river
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, contributing almost 20% of the total water in the lower Columbia. Libby Dam holds back an average of 5800000 acre.ft of water.
The consulting architect for the project was Seattle architect Paul Thiry
Paul Thiry (architect)
Paul Thiry was an American architect most active in Washington state, known as the father of architectural modernism in the Pacific Northwest. Thiry designed "some of the best period buildings around the state of Washington during the 1950, 60s and 70s." - Life :Thiry was born in Nome, Alaska, of...
, and the commission for its large granite bas-relief was awarded to sculptor Albert Wein
Albert Wein
Albert W. Wein, American sculptor born in New York City on July 27, 1915. He died in March 1991. His mother, Elsa Meher Wein was a portrait painter and it was through her that Wein was first introduced to art. He began his art studies at the Maryland Institute of Fine and Applied Arts at the age...
by competition.
In order to make way for the dam, the town of Rexford, Montana
Rexford, Montana
Rexford is a town in Lincoln County, Montana, United States. The population was 151 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rexford is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
was relocated and the Flathead Railroad Tunnel
Flathead Tunnel
The Flathead Tunnel is a 7.01-mile railroad tunnel in the Rocky Mountains approximately 42 miles to the west of Whitefish, Montana. It is the second-longest tunnel in the United States...
was dug.
The dam is operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
. At full capacity, the dam can pass over 160000 cuft/s of water. The dam is designed with a selective withdrawal system that allows water passage from various levels of Lake Koocanusa. This allows the dam operators to moderate water temperatures downstream. The river continues past Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Bonners Ferry is a city in and the county seat of Boundary County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,543 at the 2010 census.-History:...
to Kootenay Lake
Kootenay Lake
Kootenay Lake is a lake located in British Columbia, Canada and is part of theKootenay River. The lake has been raised by the Corra Linn Dam and has a dike system at the southern end, which, along with industry in the 1950s-70s, has changed the ecosystem in and around the water...
and joins the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
.
Libby Dam's powerhouse contains five turbines and is capable of generating 600 megawatts. The electricity is managed by the Bonneville Power Administration
Bonneville Power Administration
The Bonneville Power Administration is an American federal agency based in the Pacific Northwest. BPA was created by an act of Congress in 1937 to market electric power from the Bonneville Dam located on the Columbia River and to construct facilities necessary to transmit that power...
and services eight states: Montana, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, California, Utah, Oregon and Nevada. The money earned from electricity sales goes to the United States Treasury to repay the cost of building and operating Libby Dam.
External links
- Libby Dam Home Page, Official Web Site Libby Dam, United States Army Corps of EngineersUnited States Army Corps of EngineersThe United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
- Libby Dam, United States Army Corps of EngineersUnited States Army Corps of EngineersThe United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...