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John Day Dam, as seen from Giles French Park, Oregon.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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John Day Dam ...
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The John Day Dam is located 216 miles upstream from the mouth of the
Columbia River and located at Exit 109 off Interstate 84 in Oregon, at the Oregon town of Rufus.
The dam is at the head of
Lake Celilo, the reservoir behind
The Dalles Dam,
and crosses the Columbia near Rufus, Oregon. The reservoir behind the John Day Dam is known as Lake Umatilla.
The John Day River is located two miles upstream.
The John Day Dam consists of a navigation lock, spillway, powerhouse and fish-passage facilities on both shores. Construction of the John Day Dam began in 1958 and was completed in 1971. At the time of it's completion, the John Day Dam Powerhouse was the second largest in the world. Completion of the John Day Dam marked the final step in harnessing the lower waters of the Columbia River.
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John Day Dam, as seen pullout on Interstate 84.
Image taken October 2, 2006.
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John Day Dam, as seen from Giles French Park, Oregon.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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Click image to enlarge
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John Day Dam, as seen from Giles French Park, Oregon.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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Lake Umatilla ...
Campsite of October 21, 1805 ...
Lewis and Clark's Campsite of October 21, 1805, was on the Washington side of the Columbia River, just downstream of today's John Day Dam. The campsite was at the base of the Columbia Hills, which extend from the Klickitat River to Rock Creek, approximately 15 miles upstream of the John Day Dam.
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"... the river is Crouded with rocks in every direction, after Passing this dificult rapid to the mouth of a Small river on the Larboard Side 40 yards wide descharges but little water at this time, and appears to take its Sourse in the Open plains to the S.E. imediately above & below this little river comences a rapid which is crouded with large rocks in every direction, the pasage both crooked and dificuelt ... imediately below the last rapids there is four Lodges of Indians on the Stard. Side, proceeded on about two miles lower and landed and encamped near five Lodges of nativs, drying fish ..."
[Clark, October 21, 1805]
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" ... we went 32 miles and encamped at some Indian lodges, where we procured wood from the natives to cook with."
[Gass, October 21, 1805]
Today, Washington State's Cliff Park is a rocky beach below the dam (see below) with a view upstream of the dam and downstream of Oregon's Mount Hood.
Lewis and Clark's previous campsite was upstream near the town of Roosevelt, Washington, and their next camp was near Wishram, Washington.
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John Day Dam from Washington State Highway 14.
On October 21, 1805, Lewis and Clark camped on the Washington State side of the Columbia River, just downstream of the John Day Dam.
Image taken April 24, 2004.
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Campsite of April 22, 1806 ...
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Lake Umatilla, the reservoir behind the John Day Dam.
From Washington State Highway 14, looking across the Columbia River (Lake Umatilla) at the mouth of the John Day River, Oregon.
Image taken April 24, 2004.
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John Day Dam from Washington State Highway 14.
On April 22, 1806, Lewis and Clark camped on the Washington State side of the Columbia River, just upstream of the John Day Dam, and nearly across from the mouth of the John Day River. The John Day River is just visible above the dam.
Image taken April 24, 2004.
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Giles French Park is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park which lies on the Oregon side of the Columbia River below the John Day Dam. The park was named after Giles French, a Sherman County historian and for many years the Publisher and Editor of the Sherman County Journal. Giles French was honored in the Oregon Newspaper Hall of Fame in 1994.
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View downstream of John Day Dam, as seen from Giles French Park.
Image taken October 2, 2006.
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Rabbitbrush, below John Day Dam, as seen from Giles French Park.
Image taken October 2, 2006.
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Fishing Platforms at Giles French Park, Oregon.
The John Day Dam is in the background.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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Fishing Platform at Giles French Park, Oregon.
Image taken September 26, 2003.
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John Day Dam.
John Day Dam, as seen from Giles French Park.
Image taken September 26, 2003.
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John Day Dam.
John Day Dam, as seen from Giles French Park.
Image taken September 26, 2003.
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Cliff Park lies on the Washington side of the Columbia River below the John Day Dam, and presents a great view upstream of the dam, and downstream of Mount Hood, Oregon.
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John Day Dam from Cliff Park, Washington.
Image taken April 24, 2004.
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Looking downstream towards Mount Hood, Oregon, from Cliff Park, Washington.
Image taken April 24, 2004.
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Cliff behind Cliff Park, Washington.
Image taken April 24, 2004.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 21, 1805 ...
A verry cool morning wind from the S. W. we Set out verry early and proceeded on, last night [their previous camp was downstream of Roosevelt, Washington] we could not Collect more dry willows the only fuel, than was barely Suffient to cook Supper, and not a Sufficency to cook brackfast this morning, passd. a Small Island at 5½ miles a large one 8 miles in the middle of the river, Some rapid water at the head and Eight Lodges of nativs opposit its Lower point on the Stard. Side, we came too at those lodges, bought some wood and brackfast.
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at 2 miles lower passed a rapid, large rocks Stringing into the river of large Size [near Blalock Canyon], opposit to this rapid on the Stard. Shore is Situated two Lodges of the nativs drying fish here we halted a fiew minits to examine the rapid before we entered it which was our constant Custom, and at all that was verry dangerous put out all who could not Swim to walk around, after passing this rapid we proceeded on passed anoothe rapid at 5 miles lower down, above this rapid on <the Stard. Side> five Lodges of Indians fishing &c. [near Rock Creek where they would camp on their return, on April 23, 1806] above this rapid maney large rocks on each Side at Some distance from Shore, one mile passed an Island Close to the Stard. Side, below which is two Lodge of nativs, a little below is a bad rapid which is bad crouded with hugh rocks Scattered in every Direction which renders the pasage verry Difficuelt a little above this rapid on the Lard. Side emence piles of rocks appears as if Sliped from the Clifts under which they lay passed great number of rocks in every direction Scattered in the river 5 Lodges a little below on the Stard. Side, and one lodge on an Island near the Stard. Shore opposit to which is a verry bad rapid, thro which we found much dificuelty in passing, the river is Crouded with rocks in every direction, after Passing this dificult rapid to the mouth of a Small river on the Larboard Side [John Day River] 40 yards wide descharges but little water at this time, and appears to take its Sourse in the Open plains to the S. E. from this place I proceved Some fiew Small pines on the tops of the high hills and bushes in the hollars. imediately above & below this little river [John Day River] comences a rapid which is crouded with large rocks in every direction, the pasage both crooked and dificuelt, we halted at a Lodge to examine those noumerous islands of rock which apd. to extend maney miles below,—. great numbs. of Indians came in canoes to View us at this place, after passing this rapid which we accomplished without loss; <we passed> winding through between the hugh rocks for about 2 miles—. (from this rapid the Conocil mountain [Mount Hood] is S. W. which the Indians inform me is not far to the left of the great falls; this I call the Timm or falls mountain it is high and the top is covered with Snow) imediately below the last rapids there is four Lodges of Indians on the Stard. Side, proceeded on about two miles lower and landed and encamped near five Lodges of nativs, drying fish [Washington side just downstream of today's John Day Dam] those are the relations of those at the Great falls [Celilo Falls],
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this part of the river is furnished with fine Springs which either rise high up the Sides of the hills or on the bottom near the river and run into the river. the hills are high and rugid a fiew scattering trees to be Seen on them either Small pine or Scrubey white oke.
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we made 33 miles to day.
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