Work set on $56M PF Dam rehabilitation

POST FALLS — It's been nearly 50 years since any major work has been done on Avista's Hydroelectric Development North Channel Dam, originally constructed 118 years ago on the Spokane River.

Crews will soon begin rehabilitating the spillway, a project that is estimated to cost $56 million.

“It’s old, a lot of the equipment’s original from the 1906 construction," Avista project manager Greg Crossman said.

The work will be done to safely and reliably operate the facility and maintain the level of Lake Coeur d'Alene, he said.

"It's time," he said. "It's well past time to do a major modernization like this."

Crossman and his colleagues gave presentations and spoke with residents Wednesday evening during an open house at the Post Falls Police Department. About 20 community members attended and asked questions ranging from environmental impacts to preservation of the historical equipment.

The North Channel rehabilitation is slated to begin this spring. It is the first phase in the modernization of the historic facility, which consists of the North and South channel dams that control water levels of the Coeur d'Alene, St. Joe and St. Maries rivers as well as the Middle Channel Dam that houses six generating units that produce up to 15 megawatts of clean energy to power 11,250 homes.

Avista assessed the condition of the North Channel Dam in 2021 and found the need for the rehabilitation. The project will rehab the dam's concrete structures, replace its steel spillway gates and hoists and modernize the electrical and control systems.

A temporary access road and retaining wall will be constructed. Gate work will begin once the space between the retaining wall and spillway gates has been cleared of water following spring runoff. Nine spillway gates, associated hoist and mechanical equipment, piers and abutments will be replaced.

As little of Falls Park as possible will be closed except for the very southern portion, Crossman said, but its parking lot will remain closed May 1 through July 2027. The fishing pond, gazebos, bathroom, sidewalk and play structures will remain open.

Parking on the street and at the North Idaho Centennial Trail Fourth Street Trailhead will be available for visitor use. Crossman said Avista is also working with the city and local property owners to configure other parking options that have not yet been finalized.

Rehab crews may use the boat launch at Q'emiln Park at times, but the project is not expected to impact the boat launch's opening and closing schedule.

“It sounds like they’ve done the evaluations and they know what they’re going to deal with,” said Dan Redline, a Post Falls resident who closely worked with Avista on projects before retiring from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. He attended the open house with his wife, Carla Redline.

“They’re sure making us familiar with what needs to be done,” he said.

"It's pretty fascinating that it has functioned all this time," Carla Redline said.

    Kim Brown asks a question Wednesday evening about preserving artifacts from the 118-year-old Post Falls Dam North Channel as she and husband Lew Brown attend an open house on Avista's rehabilitation project of the facility, which will begin this spring.