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I visited the Bonneville Lock and Dam on Friday, 2021-06-11. I took some photographs.

2Background

A leisure activity I have had in the back of my mind for some time after moving to Vancovuer, Washington, is touring the visitor center located at the Bonneville Dam (a.k.a. Bonneville Lock and Dam). It is a

1.24 GW

hydroelectric power station located along the Columbia River approximately

57 km

east of Vancouver.

I took some photographs using my smartphone since I didn't want to feel too awkward carrying around my heavier full frame camera while exploring the visitor center. When I returned to my vehicle, I did take out my full frame camera in order to snap some photographs of the exterior of the Powerhouse Two and the Spillover. I uploaded some of these to Wikimedia Commons.

3Gallery

Figure 1. Powerhouse Two generators as seen from viewing gallery.

Figure 2. Display Gallery

Figure 3. Fish Ladder

Figure 4. Powerhouse Two (center) and Visitor Center (left) as seen from west-southwest.

Figure 5. QR code¹ for digital version of the self-guide brochure.

1. See https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p16021coll11/id/4849

Figure 6. Facility directory. Suggested self-guided route shown in blue.

Figure 7. Drinking fountains. Presumably locked due to the on-going COVID–19 pandemic.

Figure 8. Scale models of the local landscape showing changes performed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct Powerhouse Two.

Figure 9. Nameplate on one of the scale models indicating the manufacturer is Rauda Scale Models of Seattle, Washington.

Figure 10. A high voltage insulator used for electric power transmission. Text reads:

Insulator

Unlike the wires you have in your home, large power lines have no plastic insulation surrounding the cable. Instead, ceramic insulators such as these are used. They hold the power lines away from the metal support towers, preventing dangerous sparks.

Figure 11. A section of a salmon life–cycle mural by Lesley McClintock located near the lower entrance to the Fish Viewing Building. The photograph of this section, along with links to those of the other sections may be found at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bonneville_Lock_and_Dam_mural_18.jpg .

Figure 12. Seating and underwater viewing windows of the Fish Viewing Building.

Figure 13. An exhibit showing the salmon lifecycle in nature and in the hatchery.

Figure 14. A display showing crafts of Native Americans who resided along the Columbia River.

Figure 15. A painting located at the upper entrance to the Fish Viewing Building.

Figure 16. View of the top of the Fish Ladder adjacent to the underwater viewing windows of the Fish Viewing Building.

Figure 18. An explanation of water flow through the the Fish Ladder.

Figure 19. The spillway located southwest of the Powerhouse Two.

Figure 20. Spillway (center) and corner collector² (left)

2. See https://www.salmonrecovery.gov/Hydro/Structuralimprovements/TypesofSurfacePassage.aspx

Figure 21. Some high voltage power transmission lines located on Bradford Island as seen from the north shore of the Columbia River.

1Summary

2Background

3Gallery

4References