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'''June 14, 1942 Spokesman-Review Page 83:'''
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[[file:1942-06-14-sr-p83-fort-spokane-bridge-lake-roosevelt-1600.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]'''Great Man-Made Lake Completed''' 

'''New Roads, Bridges, Railroad and Scenic Wonderland Await Tourists'''

By W. W. HINDLEY.

The biggest relocation job Washington
has ever been is completed.
It involved the relocation and
construction of 76 miles of state
highway, 30 or more miles of railroad,
the razing and rebuilding of three
large highway bridges and three
railroad bridges, the construction
of five underpasses to get the new
highway under the new railroad
and several county bridges and
miles of county roads.

Uncle Sam, through the reclamation
bureau, footed the bill for
every bit of it. It is all a by-product
of the construction of Grand
Coulee dam in the Columbia river.
The backwater of the dam already
has spread out for 130 miles back
of the dam, almost to Northport. It
is seldom less than a mile wide
and it often spreads up the gulches
and sidehills to make a vast lake
or series of lakes two to three miles
wide and in one place at least
above the old Kettle Falls, about
six miles wide

‘The story has been told of the
removal of 10 towns to get them
above the rising water, Some of
the towns simply folded up, others
found new locations on higher
ground and are thriving and
growing communities today This, how-
ever is a story of highways and
railroads in the backwater area.

'''300-Mile Trip.'''

The writer and Dale Morgan,}
staff photographer, covered the
area the other day on a 300-mile
routine inspection trip with R. P.
Newland, district highway engineer,
who is justly proud of what
his department has accomplished
in a reasonably short space of time.
It is all over successfully now and
a little pointing with pride is
justified.

And, by the way, it is not necessary
to drive 300 miles to see the
backwater. Our trip took us on
many side jaunts, with time out
for lunch and photographs, some
of which appear on this page. We
left Spokane at 8 a, m. and re-
turned at 7 p. m., virtually all on
paved or oiled roads

Not the shortest but the easiest
and quickest way to reach the
backwater area is to go via Davenport.
It is 66 miles to the new
bridge at the mouth of the Spokane.
The new state highway
starts south of the bridge at the
North Star Grange hall, crosses the
bridge and cuts across country to
rejoin the old No. 22 highway, far
north of the old Detillion bridge.
That bridge is in the bottom of the
river and there is no longer any
crossing at Detillion.

The highway to the new bridge
crosses the old Fort Spokane
reservation, which stands on the bench
directly above the bridge, near the
new town of Miles and close to the
mouth of the Spokane river, Boats
are docked near the bridge,
including the Miss Coulee, which
normally plys between the dam and
the mouth of the Spokane. A small
boat works has been installed near
by. The old town of Lincoln is
gone.

Beyond the bridge, the new road
runs mainly through the Spokane
Indian reservation, The final oil
coat will probably have been
completed on the last 12-mile stretch
by the time this appears in print.
That finishes the state highway
department stint, Other new
construction as far as Northport has
been completed for about two
years. There is some settling where
repairs will be made at an early
date.

At its highest spot, the new No.
22 is about 500 feet above the
water. It pulls away at intervals
from sight of the backwater but
soon comes back. In fact, there
are several spots where the water
is virtually up to the fills carrying
the highway. There is actually
some concern for the highways
when the water reaches the peak.

'''Backwater Piles Up.'''

While the Columbia already is
pouring over the dam, it is not reducing
the level of the backwater.
In fact, high water has not yet hit
the backwater to any extent. It is
steadily piling up and will probably
hit the peak for the year within a
fortnight.

Drum gates at Grand Coulee dam
are still open. When it is decided
to close them, the 151-mile lake
back of the dam can rise another
25 feet or so as the gates stand 28
feet above the present crest.

Marvelous vistas of the
backwater are commonplace along the
state highway for mile after mile.
At this time of year the adjacent 
hills are green to the tips and an
occasional snow-capped mountain
is visible, Farm places have
responded to the scenic appeal and
are neat and in good order. Horses
and cattle revel in lush grass, In
fact, they are finding it along the
roadside and that may call for
official action to keep them within
bounds.

The highway department left
many turnouts at strategic points
where the best views may be enjoyed
at leisure without blocking
the highway. These seemed far
from the water a year ago. Today
they are within a stone’s throw
of the backwater, The dry valleys
are now filled with water.

The mouth of the Colville river
is a small lake, although the high
water will reach only a short distance
from the highway bridge.
Meyer's fall, higher up, will never
be affected. A short turnoff gives
a fine distant view of this scenic
waterfall.

Kettle river, coming in from the
west above the old Kettle falls,
is another long arm, stretching out
over the flats beyond Boyds. High
water has not been felt much in
the Kettle valley but will be a vast
lake when the peak flow is reached.
The new Boyds is on higher
ground. A new county road runs
on the west side from Inchelium
to Northport. The bureau paid
for it.

Marcus flats form part of the
widest section of the lake. The
old townsite is entirely submerged
and the wooden railroad bridge has
been removed. The old Hudson's
bay post site is under water, Marcus
has turned completely right
about-face on the bench above
the old townsite by the school. The
school faces the old site and
highway and new town are virtually
behind it along the new highway.

Northern towns, such as Evans, Bossburg,
Marble and Northport are not
affected by the backwater.
Near Evans, the plants of the
Spokane, Portland Cement company
and the United States Gypsum
company are running full blast.

The Kettle river and Columbia
river branches of the Great Northern
in many places run along the side of the highway
at the same grade. At other places
their lines carry them several hundred
feet above the highway grade.

One railroad fill is 150 feet high
and there is also heavy culvert construction.
A recent slide hit part of the
rail line into Northport, but this has
been repaired and the slide danger, it is
thought, removed. Some of the debris
cam close to the highway, but did no damage.

Rolling rocks and sliding clay banks
are causing some trouble along
the highway in the same area.
Effect of the rising water is
being watched every night with anxiety.

Returning via Colville, Addy, Chewelah,
Valley and Springdale, there is an interesting
stretch of landscap. Motorists will
thrill to the new drive south from
Springdale to Reardan via Ford and Long Lake.
This is a beautiful standard highway along
Chamokane creek. At Ford, on Walker's prairie,
it skirts the Tshimakain monument commemorating
the labors there of Cushing Eells and Elkanah
Walker pioneer Congregational missionaries
who took their wives into the area in 1838, the
first white women to establish home in this part
of the state.

The state highway department
is building the road to the Spokane
river and Lincoln county already
has an improved road to Reardan.
It later is to be extended to the
Columbia highway at Ritzville. The
state portion being oiled and
will be completed in a few weeks.

What recreational use will be
made of the great new lake is up
to the public. Engineering skill and
federal funds have done everything
possible, it seems, to finish the job
in the best fashion. Good roads and
bridges make the entire region
accessible. Two ferries still cross
the river above the dam-one, the
Clark ferry, north of Wilbur; the
other, the ferry that plies between
Gifford and old Inchelium en route
to the popular fishing grounds at
Twin lakes in Ferry county.

Ultimately, the recreational development
will be directed by the
national parks service but the war
emergency has put a temporary
stop to the development of picnic
grounds and camp sites. The same
condition applies to the planting of
fish in the lake. Fish already there
are affording sport. They can be
seen jumping. Residents of the
area report catches off the mouths
of streams entering the lake on
both sides.

The highway department has
furnished the public with one of
the finest scenic drives in the state.
The lake and the surrounding
country are a combination of Lake
Chelan and Hood canal. By using
the county road on the west side
the motorist can make a loop trip
over a scenic area, crossing at the
Kettle falls bridge and recrossing
at the Gifford-Inchelium ferry.

While the entrance via Davenport
is in high favor, Spokane
motorists can also reach the
backwater via Colville and Kettle Falls
after a 90-mile spin past
Wandermere, the Little Spokane and Loon
lake and through the delightful
Colville valley. Or the motorist
may cross from Springdale to
Hunters for a short-cut to the
Columbia river. The entrance from
Creston has not yet been developed.
He may also reach the area
via Reardan, Long lake, Ford and
Springdale.

Mr. Newland estimates that
the highway construction in the
backwater area has cost more
than $2,000,000, including highway
bridges and underpasses, but
exclusive of railroad construction and
bridges, and the widening of the
channel at Little Dalles, above
China bar, not far south of Northport,
a $500,000 job in itself.

[photo]

This backwater scene on highway No. 22 was taken above Cedonia. It shows
the backwater lake about two miles wide at this spot. Attractive farms places
add to the beauty of the vista. This is the highest spot on the highway.


[photo]

Not long ago, the new highway and railroad bridges at
Kettle falls seemed high.
But the water, 100 miles from Grand Coulee dam, is
creeping up the abutments,
The falls are gone; the water as still as a millpond.

[photo]

The junction of the Spokane and Columbia rivers
below the new highway bridge. The Spokane is at the
left. The Columbia runs diagonally across the top of
The picture.  Here the backwater is first encountered
from Spokane, via Davenport. Spokane boat owners
already have cruisers here.

[photo]

This attractive new bridge (above) carries No. 22
over the Spokane river. On the bench above is what is
left of old Fort Spokane.

[photo]

This stretch (left) shows a typical bit of the 76 miles
of new highway between Davenport and Northport
along the 15l-mile lake.  The scene is below old
Kettle Falls.

[photo]

The head of navigation on the Spokane river is shown
(right) above the new highway bridge. The Miss
Coulee ties up here after a run from Coulee dam. The
backwater extends to Little Falls dam.
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