News Release
| Release Number: | 08-099 |
| Dated: | 6/25/2008 |
| Contact: | Erica Gann, 503-808-4510 |
PORTLAND, Ore. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will again offer guided tours of the Bonneville Lock and Dam second powerhouse located on the Washington side of the Columbia River.
Visitors will learn about Bonneville Lock and Dam’s history, operations, power generation and fish passage. Groups will travel down one of the West Coast’s longest escalators into the powerhouse where they will walk across two generators and see the shaft that connects the turbine to the generator.
Guided walks will occur daily at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m., starting July 4 through Sept. 1. Those interested in joining a tour should meet near the glass-walled orientation building of the visitor center.
While on the Washington side of the river, visitors may also watch salmon in the fish ladder through underwater windows, learn Native American history, and picnic in one of the designated areas around the project.
Those preferring outdoor exercise may walk along a self-guided historical trail at Fort Cascades, located just off the main entrance road to the visitor center. The one-mile level path winds through a shady forest and is a cool and relaxing hike on a hot summer day.
To get to the Second Powerhouse Visitor Center and the Fort Cascades Trail, travel on Washington State Route 14 to milepost 39, and turn onto the Dam Access Road about one mile west of the dam or three miles west of the Bridge of the Gods. Follow the signs to the visitor center or the Fort Cascades trailhead.
Visitor centers on the Oregon side of the dam are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Tourists can also stop by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Fish Hatchery to catch a glimpse of Herman, the 10-foot long sturgeon.
For information on this and other events, contact the Second Powerhouse Visitor Center at Bonneville Lock and Dam at (541) 374-8820.