1942-06-14-sr-p83-fort-spokane-bridge-lake-roosevelt
June 14, 1942 Spokesman-Review Page 83:
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.
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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.
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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.
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This attractive new bridge (above) carries No. 22 over the Spokane river. On the bench above is what is left of old Fort Spokane.
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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.
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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.
