Friday, May 19, 2017

Libby Dam, Libby, Montana

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence


While we were visiting in Libby Montana, we drove out to the Libby Dam.  The drive out was pretty.  We followed the Kootenay (Kootenai) River.  Spelled two ways, because I am finding it spelled two ways.  


We drove around the dam and viewed it from many different vantage points. Sony and I played with the zoom, of course.


The dam is 422 feet tall, and 3,055 feet long.


Zoom!  Everytime I look at this photo I am almost hypnotized.  I find it strangely mesmerizing.


"At full capacity, the dam can pass over 160,000 cubic feet (of water) per second." (per Wikipedia article).




Looking into Lake Koocanusa.  The lake is 90 miles long and reaches depths of 370 feet. I am not sure why the water in this photo does not have the teal glacier melt colorization. I'll guess it is the light and the time of the day??


This is looking the other direction, that is the Kootenay (or Kootenai) River.  Man and I drove over that bridge about mid photo to access this area/view.  I did no color correction on this entire set of photos, so, the teal and the blue, that is what Sony and I saw.


I am always in awe of structures, the engineering, design, size.  Amazing!


After a bit, Man and I went back to the other side and went to the visitor's center area. They offer free tours, and we went on one.  No photos.


Of course, I need to try a panoramic photo, looking into Lake Koocanusa:


The area is used by many for recreational purposes.  Gotta say, that looks real inviting, that boat and that lake.


"Libby Dam's powerhouse contains five turbines and is capable of generating 600 megawatts." (Wikipedia article.)  Eight states get power from this powerhouse:  Montana, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, California, Utah, Oregon and Nevada.  Profits from sale of power go back to the federal government coffers to pay back the cost of construction and operation costs.


We found the area to be beautiful and the dam and tour very interesting.  It was a nice day.  And, the following day, we will head to Glacier National Park!  FINALLY!  It has been close to 9.5 months since we left home and we are finally going to fulfill the bucket list.




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