Grand Coulee Dam "The Power of Water"
Courtesty of the National Archives and Records Administration
With the start of World War II, priorities at the dam construction site changed. Irrigation work was put on hold as aluminum was needed for ships and planes, and electricity was needed to run the aluminum plants. Workers rushed to install generators and bring power on line. Any questions about the need for electric power in the Northwest were put to rest.
Work on Grand Coulee Dam began in the summer of 1933 during the Great Depression. Newly-elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt promised the nation a “New Deal” and launched public construction projects that employed millions of workers. Grand Coulee Dam was one of the biggest-so big, many doubted the region would ever be able to use so much electricity.
Contact
Grand Coulee Visitor Center
(509) 633-9265
pninfo@usbr.gov
