Horn Rapids Dam
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| Horn Rapids Dam | |
| Impounds | Yakima River |
|---|---|
| Locale | Benton County, Washington |
| Geographical Data | |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
| [1] | |
Horn Rapids Dam (also known as Wanawish Dam) is a small barrage dam on the Yakima River in Benton County, Washington near the intersection of SR 240 and SR 225. The dam is not used for hydroelectric production, rather to fill irrigation canals on either bank of the river.
The dam was originally built in 1892 by the Yakima Irrigation and Improvement Company. When the company went under in 1896, the dam was bought by the Northwestern Pacific Company (a subsidiary of Northern Pacific). A more substantial dam was put in place in 1903, and the northern irrigation canal was built in 1908.
Former Camp Columbia (occasionally referred to as Columbia Camp) was located on the north bank of the river just above the dam. This was a prison camp during World War II for low-security prisoners; political dissidents and the like. The camp was operated from 1944 through 1947. There were barracks and a large orchard, but no perimeter fences, and inmates were allowed to move about freely. [2][3]
The dam is still used as a historic fishing location by the Yakima Indian Nation, and traditional fishing scaffolds can be seen there year-round.
[edit] References
- ^ USGS GNIS: Horn Rapids Dam. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
- ^ Columbia Camp
- ^ Hanford News : 50 Years of Hanford
