View source for John Day Dam

{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox dam
| name                 = John Day Dam
| image                = John Day Dam 2 (11955932233).jpg
| image_caption        = John Day Dam
| name_official        =
| dam_crosses          = [[Columbia River]]
| location             = [[Sherman County, Oregon]] / [[Klickitat County, Washington]]<br />United States
| dam_type             = Concrete gravity, run-of-the-river
| dam_length           = {{Convert|2327|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| dam_height           = {{Convert|56|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| dam_width_base       =
| spillway_type        = Service, gate-controlled
| spillway_capacity    =
| construction_began   = 1958<ref name="oclc"/>
| opening              = 1971
| cost                 = [[United States Dollar|US$]]511 million
| owner                =
| res_name             = [[Lake Umatilla]]
| res_capacity_total   ={{convert|2530000|acre feet|m3|abbr=on}}
| res_catchment        =
| res_surface          =
| res_max_depth        =
| plant_operator       = [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]]
| plant_turbines       = 16 × 140 [[Megawatt|MW]] (20 maximum)
| plant_capacity       = 2,240 [[Megawatt|MW]] (2700 maximum)
| plant_annual_gen     =8,418 [[Gigawatt hour|GWh]] (2009)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://carma.org/plant/detail/20465|title = Carbon Monitoring for Action}}</ref>
| plant_type           = R
| plant_commission     =
| plant_decommission   =
| location_map         = 
| location_map_caption =
| coordinates          = {{coord|45|42|59|N|120|41|40|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| website              =
| extra                =
}}

The '''John Day Dam''' is a concrete gravity [[Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity|run-of-the-river]] [[dam]] spanning the [[Columbia River]] in the northwestern United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Columbia River System Inside Story|url=http://www.bpa.gov/power/pg/columbia_river_inside_story.pdf|publisher=BPA.gov|access-date=17 July 2010|pages=14–15|archive-date=27 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527170919/http://www.bpa.gov/power/pg/columbia_river_inside_story.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The dam features a [[canal lock|navigation lock]] plus [[fish ladder]]s on both sides. The John Day Lock has the highest lift (at {{Convert|110|ft|m|sp=us|disp=or}}) of any U.S. lock.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.engineeringsights.org/SightDetail.asp?Sightid=107&id=&view=k&name=&page=21&image=0 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415121623/http://www.engineeringsights.org/SightDetail.asp?Sightid=107&id=&view=k&name=&page=21&image=0 |archive-date=2008-04-15 |title=A Sightseer's Guide to Engineering - Details for John Day Lock and Dam}}</ref> The [[reservoir (water)|reservoir]] impounded by the dam is [[Lake Umatilla]],<ref>{{GNIS|1513298|Lake Umatilla}}</ref> and it runs {{Convert|76.4|mi|km}} up the river channel to the foot of the [[McNary Dam]]. John Day Dam is part of the [[Columbia River|Columbia River Basin]] system of dams.

== Location ==
John Day Dam is located {{Convert|28|mi|km}} east of the city of [[The Dalles, Oregon]], and just below the mouth of the [[John Day River]]. The closest town on the [[Washington (state)|Washington]] side is [[Goldendale, Washington|Goldendale]], {{Convert|20|mi|km}} north. The closest town on the Oregon side is [[Rufus, Oregon|Rufus]]. The dam's crest elevation is approximately {{convert|570|ft|m}} above [[sea level]]. It joins [[Sherman County, Oregon]] with [[Klickitat County, Washington]], {{Convert|216|mi|km}} upriver from the mouth of the Columbia near [[Astoria, Oregon]].

== History ==
Construction of the dam began in 1958 and was completed in 1971,<ref name="oclc">{{Cite web |title=The Dallas, John Day & Willow Creek Dams |url=https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p16021coll11/id/426/download |access-date=Nov 30, 2023 |website=US Army Corps of Engineers}}</ref> making it the newest dam on the lower Columbia, at a total cost of US$511 million. The pool was filled in 1968 and a dedication ceremony was held on September 28, 1968.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Stories/Article/1818078/john-day-50th-anniversary/|title=John Day 50th Anniversary|website=Northwestern Division Website}}</ref> The first vessel through the new lock was the Coast Guard buoy tender [[USCGC Blueberry (WLI-65302)|USCGC ''Blueberry'']].<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 September 1968 |title=First Work Was On North Bank; Construction Schedule Tight One |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/819764352/?match=1&terms=kennewick%20%22Buoy%20tender%22 |work=Tri-City Herald |pages=117}}</ref>  John Day Dam was built and is operated by the [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]]. The condemnation of land upstream of the dam led to the Supreme Court case ''United States v. Rands'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/389/121.html|title=FindLaw's United States Supreme Court case and opinions.|website=Findlaw}}</ref> a well-known case regarding the constitutional doctrine of [[navigable servitude]]. The dam's power generation capacity is 2,480,000&nbsp;kW (overload capacity). 
Skeleton units for eventual installation of four additional generators were fitted to the powerhouse during construction, allowing for a 20% increase in output should the decision be taken to complete them.<ref>https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p16021coll11/id/426/download {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2025}}</ref>
The dam underwent a major repair to the upper lock gate in 2010, as documented in an episode of the National Geographic Channel program ''[[World's Toughest Fixes]]''.<ref name="TheFutonCritic airdates">{{Cite web |url=http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/worlds-toughest-fixes/ |title=World's Toughest Fixes on NGC |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727043435/http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/worlds-toughest-fixes |archive-date=2011-07-27 }}</ref>

As of 2007, the 76-mile-long reservoir formed the deadliest stretch of the [[Columbia River]] for migrating young [[salmon]]. The reservoir is the longest lake on the Columbia that young salmon must swim on their way to the ocean.<ref>{{cite news |last=King |first=Anna |date=October 2, 2007 |title=The Modern Day Columbia River&nbsp;– Part Two: Still Waters Run Deep and Deadly for Columbia River Salmon |url=http://news.opb.org/article/still-water-runs-deep-and-deadly-columbia-river-salmon/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502130146/http://www.opb.org/news/article/still-water-runs-deep-and-deadly-columbia-river-salmon/ |archive-date=May 2, 2016 |access-date=July 17, 2024 |publisher=Oregon Public Broadcasting}}</ref>

== Specifications ==
* Altitude: 266 feet (81 m) above sea level
* Height: 183 feet (56 m)
* Length: 7,365 feet (2,327 m)
* Navigation lock:
** Single-lift
** 86 feet (26 m) wide
** 675 feet (206 m) long
* Powerhouse
** Sixteen 140,000&nbsp;kW units (4 additional incomplete skeleton units installed in powerhouse during construction)
** Total capacity: 2,240 MW (2700 MW if all twenty generators installed)
** Overload capacity: 2,485 MW
* Spillway
** Gates: 20
** Length: 1,228 feet (374 m)
<ref name="oclc"/>

==Images==
{{gallery|mode=packed|align=center|width=135|height=135
|File:John_Day_844.jpg|Depth of John Day Dam pool is illustrated by this 1967 photo showing the new UPRR bridge, with old bridges at sites to be submerged below.
|File:ISS067-E-175520 John Day Dam on the Columbia River along the border of Washington state and Oregon.jpg|The dam and vicinity, taken from the International Space Station on July 4, 2022
|File:Crop of ISS067-E-175520 John Day Dam on the Columbia River along the border of Washington state and Oregon (cropped).jpg|Cropped view of the dam on {{nowrap|July 4, 2022}}
}}

== See also ==
{{stack|{{Portal|United States|Water|Renewable energy}}}}
* [[Hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River]]
* [[List of power stations in the United States]]
* [[List of hydroelectric power stations]]
* [[List of dams in the Columbia River watershed]]
* [[List of largest hydroelectric power stations in the United States]]
* [[Blalock, Oregon]]

== Sources ==
* {{cite web | url={{Gnis3|1122445}} | title=John Day Dam (Oregon - 164 ft. elev.) | work=[[Geographic Names Information System]] | publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]] | access-date=2006-05-10}}
* {{cite web | url={{Gnis3|1505826}} | title=John Day Dam (Washington - 269 ft. elev.) | work=[[Geographic Names Information System]] | publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]] | access-date=2006-05-10}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|John Day Dam}}
*[https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/columbia/John-Day/ John Day Dam US Army Corps Engineers]

{{Columbia River dams |dam=John Day Dam| downriver=[[The Dalles Dam]]|upriver=[[McNary Dam]]}}
{{Crossings navbox
|structure       = [[List of crossings of the Columbia River|Crossings]]
|place           = [[Columbia River]]
|bridge          = John Day Dam
|bridge signs    = 
|upstream        = [[Umatilla Bridge]]
|upstream signs  = [[Image:I-82.svg|20px]] [[Image:US 395.svg|25px]]
|downstream      = [[Sam Hill Memorial Bridge]]
|downstream signs = [[Image:US 97.svg|20px]]
}}

[[Category:Dams on the Columbia River]]
[[Category:Dams in Oregon]]
[[Category:Dams in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Hydroelectric power plants in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Hydroelectric power plants in Oregon]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Sherman County, Oregon]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Klickitat County, Washington]]
[[Category:Run-of-the-river power stations]]
[[Category:United States Army Corps of Engineers dams]]
[[Category:Dams completed in 1971]]
[[Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 1971]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:Gravity dams]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Dams with fish ladders]]