Diverting the Columbia River
Clip: Season 24 Episode 6 | 2m 40s
The biggest challenge in building Grand Coulee Dam was diverting the flow of the Columbia.
The biggest challenge in building Grand Coulee Dam was diverting the flow of the Columbia. To make this happen, the workers had to build cofferdams, temporary structures that keep the river at bay, allowing workers to dig out the mud and expose the granite bedrock on which the dam would rest. The west side cofferdam was completed on March 23, 1935. Soon after, the water level rose 32 feet.
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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
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Diverting the Columbia River
Clip: Season 24 Episode 6 | 2m 40s
The biggest challenge in building Grand Coulee Dam was diverting the flow of the Columbia. To make this happen, the workers had to build cofferdams, temporary structures that keep the river at bay, allowing workers to dig out the mud and expose the granite bedrock on which the dam would rest. The west side cofferdam was completed on March 23, 1935. Soon after, the water level rose 32 feet.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Preview: S24 Ep6 | 30s | Airs Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 8/7c. Check your local listings. (30s)
Clip: S24 Ep6 | 1m 5s | In the spring of 1952, work was finally underway on the Columbia Basin Project. (1m 5s)
Grand Coulee Dam: Engineering Challenges
Clip: S24 Ep6 | 2m 46s | The engineering challenges became apparent as soon as construction got underway. (2m 46s)
Grand Coulee Dam: Pouring the Concrete
Clip: S24 Ep6 | 1m 56s | It took millions of cubic yards of concrete to build Grand Coulee Dam. (1m 56s)
The Impact of Grand Coulee Dam
Clip: S24 Ep6 | 1m 13s | Grand Coulee Dam was dedicated in front of a crowd of 8,000 on March 22, 1941. (1m 13s)
Clip: S24 Ep6 | 13m 16s | Premiering April 3, 2012 at 8/7c. Check your local listings. (13m 16s)
Grand Coulee Dam's Open Spillways
Clip: S24 Ep6 | 15s | This 15-second time-lapse video shows the Grand Coulee Dam's spillway closing. (15s)
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Support for PBS provided by:
Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.