HRA teamed with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE) to complete historic structure reports (HSRs) for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Grand Coulee and Hungry Horse hydroelectric projects. The epic engineering and construction efforts that built the Grand Coulee and Hungry Horse projects presented an incredibly complex technological landscape for an HSR. The massive dams represent not only structural marvels but also an integrated assembly of spillways, elevator towers, intake valves, instrumentation, trash racks, drainage pumps, and other elements that contribute to the overall design. The HSRs developed historic contexts to guide evaluations of physical significance, documented existing conditions, identified character-defining features, and provided treatment recommendations for maintaining the historic significance of the facilities during future operations and maintenance.
“Prominent representatives of the state of Washington look at a diorama of Grand Coulee dam, part of their state’s exhibit at the New York World’s Fair on May 1, 1939, after opening ceremonies on April 30. From left are Mrs. E. B. McGovern, U.S. Senator Homer Bone, Mrs. Bone, and Comm. E. B. McGovern, representing the governor.” Associated Press Photo in Alan Taylor, “The 1939 New York World’s Fair,” The Atlantic (November 1, 2013).
Third Power Plant at Grand Coulee, 2021
Hungry Horse Dam and morning glory spillway, 2021
Hungry Horse Dam, Powerhouse, and Outlet Valve House, 2021