AlanLichty
Moderator
Apologies to Woody Guthrie for the title but the song he wrote while they were building the Grand Coulee dam was the first nail in the coffin for the days of the Columbia River flowing freely. Prior to that dam and the several more that have followed and coupled with almost constant dredging the river used to rise and fall with the rains and during a wet spell would pretty much cover all of the lowlands in the scene below. These days the main river channel is only about 1/2 mile wide just beyond the flooded fields in the foreground but is just over 43' deep to accommodate Panamax class freighters calling on the ports in Portland and Vancouver. Dredge spoils have kept the river in check with berms on both banks of the river and created Suavie Island with a large lake in the middle. Sturgeon Lake and Vancouver Lake both used to part of the wetland areas along the river that flooded during the wet season and the houses lining the Oregon side of the river in the middle of this scene would be under water this time of the year. Scapoose is the town in the distance at the foot of the Tualatin Hills just over 9 miles away. Lewis and Clark didn't like this part of their river trip because with the constant noise from so many ducks, geese, and swans they were unable to get any sleep.
In the present day the dams moderate the river rather thoroughly except for very exceptional flooding conditions. In the long term houses lining the banks will have to be concerned about rising sea level as the river channel is only about a foot or so above the Pacific.
Two panels at 168mm.
C&C always welcome.
In the present day the dams moderate the river rather thoroughly except for very exceptional flooding conditions. In the long term houses lining the banks will have to be concerned about rising sea level as the river channel is only about a foot or so above the Pacific.
Two panels at 168mm.
C&C always welcome.
