“This is a day of gratification: To the Corps of Engineers who designed, supervised construction, and is now operating the project; To the Congress of the United States who recognized the merits of the project . . .; and, To the public-spirited citizens of the region who have contributed their time and effort so unselfishly in the support of this great multiple public-benefit project.”
From the Albeni Falls Dam dedication program.
Height: 200 ft.
Length: 600 ft.
Generating Capacity: 230,000 kilowatts
Construction Cost: $46 million
Four hundred people turned out for the dedication of the dam on 24 June 1955. Rain forced the ceremony to move indoors to the powerhouse, but there was ample room for the excited crowd. Albeni Falls dam began generating power with its first generator in March 1955. The second generator came on line in May and the third in September of that same year.
Construction of Albeni Falls Dam raised the waters of Pend Oreille Lake and brought changes to farming, fishing, and summer recreation. Change came in other ways, too, affecting the way people work and play.
