News Release Archive

Visitor Program Changes Announced for Grand Coulee Dam

Media Contact: John Redding , (208) 378-5212, jredding@pn.usbr.gov
Craig Sprankle, csprankle@pn.usbr.gov

For Release: August 29, 2006

On September 1, the scheduled viewing time for the nightly laser light show at Grand Coulee Dam will change to 8:30 p.m., and the last show for the 2006 season will be on September 30, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.

The show tells the story of Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia Basin Project using figures and animations drawn on the face of the dam by four lasers and accompanied by music and a narration. The Visitor Center at the dam will begin winter hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on October 1. The center will be open daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years days. Earlier this year, new exhibits were installed at the center. The exhibits interpret Grand Coulees role as one of the main irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River.

Exhibits also address the effects the dam has had on various groups of people, including Native Americans and early settlers. Many of the exhibits are hands-on, including a virtual tour of the dam by jet pack, an operating jackhammer, and an interactive game on operating the dam.

For information on visiting Grand Coulee Dam, contact the center at telephone (509) 633-9265. Grand Coulee Dam is located on the Columbia River in north central Washington. It was completed in 1942 and today serves as a multipurpose facility providing water for irrigation, recreation, fish and wildlife, hydroelectric power production, and flood control.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.

Relevant Link:

http://www.usbr.gov/pn/grandcoulee/