Horn Rapids Dam
Encyclopedia
Horn Rapids Dam is a rock filled timber crib barrage dam
on the Yakima River
in Benton County, Washington
near the intersection of SR 240
and SR 225
. The dam is not used for hydroelectric production, rather to fill irrigation canals on either bank of the river.
Permits for the dam were filed by the Yakima Irrigation and Improvement Company in 1889, and the original dam was completed in 1892. When the company went under in 1896, the dam was bought by the Northwestern Pacific Company (a subsidiary of Northern Pacific
). A more substantial dam was put in place in 1908, when the northern irrigation canal was built. The dam was damaged in a flood in 1996, but was replaced by a concrete structure in 1997.
Former Camp Columbia
(occasionally referred to as Columbia Camp) was located on the north bank of the river just above the dam. This was a prison camp during World War II for low-security prisoners; political dissidents and the like. The camp was operated from 1944 through 1947. There were barracks and a large orchard, but no perimeter fences, and inmates were allowed to move about freely.
The dam is still used as a historic fishing location by the Yakima Indian Nation, and traditional fishing scaffolds can be seen there year-round.
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 Yakima River
Yakima River
The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington State, named for the indigenous Yakama people. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...
in Benton County, Washington
Benton County, Washington
Benton County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. The Columbia River makes up the north, south, and east boundaries of the county. In 2010, its population was 175,177. The county seat is Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick...
near the intersection of SR 240
Washington State Route 240
State Route 240 is a busy state highway servicing the Tri-Cities of Washington and the Hanford Site.-Route description:Its eastern end begins at the southern end of the Blue Bridge in central Kennewick as an offshoot of U.S. Route 395...
and SR 225
Washington State Route 225
State Route 225 is an long two-lane state highway located entirely in Benton County, Washington, United States. The highway travels over the Benton City – Kiona Bridge, which is listed on the Washington Heritage Register and National Register of Historic Places, over the Yakima River...
. The dam is not used for hydroelectric production, rather to fill irrigation canals on either bank of the river.
Permits for the dam were filed by the Yakima Irrigation and Improvement Company in 1889, and the original dam was completed in 1892. When the company went under in 1896, the dam was bought by the Northwestern Pacific Company (a subsidiary of Northern Pacific
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
). A more substantial dam was put in place in 1908, when the northern irrigation canal was built. The dam was damaged in a flood in 1996, but was replaced by a concrete structure in 1997.
Former Camp Columbia
Camp Columbia (Hanford)
Camp Columbia was a prison camp established on the north shore of the Yakima River in 1944 near Horn Rapids. The camp operated between February 1944 and October 1947 by Federal Prison Industries. The camp was used to house "minimum-custody-type improvable male offenders," who had no more than...
(occasionally referred to as Columbia Camp) was located on the north bank of the river just above the dam. This was a prison camp during World War II for low-security prisoners; political dissidents and the like. The camp was operated from 1944 through 1947. There were barracks and a large orchard, but no perimeter fences, and inmates were allowed to move about freely.
The dam is still used as a historic fishing location by the Yakima Indian Nation, and traditional fishing scaffolds can be seen there year-round.
External links
- OSU photo of Horn Rapids Dam in 1941 It has changed litte from that time.