City Light Boundary Dam Project Records, 1933-1983

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle City Light
Title
City Light Boundary Dam Project Records
Dates
1933-1983 (inclusive)
1953-1969 (bulk)
Quantity
12.1 cubic feet, (25 boxes)
Collection Number
1206-07
Summary
Planning records for Seattle's Boundary Dam.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

City Light provides electricity and electrical and conservation services to its public and private customers. It is the largest public utility in the Pacific Northwest. Public responsibility for electrical energy dates back to 1890 with creation of the Department of Lighting and Water Works. The formulation of this public utility stemmed from fear of monopolization by private companies and was reinforced by the inadequacy of those companies during the Great Fire of 1889. Unable to gain access to private water, much of the business district was burned to the ground. Citizens responded eagerly to the idea of publicly owned water and electricity, which was later encouraged as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s.

In 1902, Seattle voters passed a bond issue to develop hydroelectric power on the Cedar River under the administration of the Water Department. This was the nation's first municipally owned hydroelectric project. Electricity from this development began to serve customers in Seattle in 1905. A City Charter amendment in 1910 created the Lighting Department, making it a full member of the City's Board of Public Works. Under the leadership of Superintendent James D. Ross, the department developed the Skagit River hydroelectric project which began supplying power in 1924 with the completion of the Gorge Dam.

Both public and private power was supplied to Seattle until 1951 when the City purchased the local private electrical power company, the Puget Sound Power and Light Company, making the Lighting Department the sole supplier. The Boundary Project in northeastern Washington began operations in 1967 and supplied over half of City Light's power generation. By the early 21st century, approximately ten percent of City Light's income came from the sale of surplus energy to customers in the Northwest and Southwest with the remainder of City Light's financial support coming from customer revenue.

The current name of the agency was adopted in 1978 when the department was reorganized. As a municipally owned public power system, Seattle City Light is governed by elected Seattle officials. Administrative authority rests with the Superintendent and an executive team that includes the department's Chief of Staff, Service and Energy Delivery Officer, Human Resources Officer, Power Supply and Environmental Affairs Officer, and Chief Financial Officer. City Light is responsible for electrical service and streetlight service, streetlight problems, and also conservation, both residential and commercial/industrial.

City Light provides low-cost, reliable, and environmentally responsible electric power to approximately 395,000 customers in Seattle and neighboring areas, including Burien, Lake Forest Park, Normandy Park, Renton, SeaTac, Shoreline, Tukwila, and unincorporated King County. It is the ninth-largest public power system in the United States and has the lowest rates among comparably sized cities in the United States.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Planning files of the Power Management Branch regarding Boundary Dam on the Pend Oreille River, including studies, reports, surveys, hydrological data, correspondence, subject files, maps, drawings and photographs. Subjects include a 1958 joint study by the Bonneville Power Administration and City Light of the regulation of reservoirs on the Columbia River system to meet predicted loads and establish the capability of the Boundary Project. Also included are correspondence and court documents regarding litigation with Public Utility District No.1 of Pend Oreille County and US Federal Power Commission proceedings regarding the project.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Seattle City Light Boundary Dam Project Records , Record Series 1206-07. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in five series: Subject Files, Reports and Studies, Hydrological Data, Legal Files, and Photographs.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Subject Files, 1952-1983Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
Archaeological Surveys
1962
1 2
Backwater Computation: Pend Oreille River - Boundary Project
1958
1 3
Bechtel Briefs Article
1964
1 4
Bond Issue
1963-1964
1 5
Bonneville Power Administration Agreement
1964
1 6
Boundary General Information
1960-1969
1 7
Boundary General Information
1970-1977
1 8
Box Canyon Project, Diversion For Spillway construction
1952
1 9
Drawing - Layout, Underground Plant
1956
1 10
Drawings and Maps - Pend Oreille County (USGS)
1955
1 11
Federal Power Commission Project No. 1393 Pend Oreille Mines and Metals Company
1962-1963
1 12
Geological Information
1955-1958
1 13
Graphs and Charts
1958
1 14
Memos and Correspondence
1961-1965
1 15
Memos
1977-1981
1 16
Memos
1981-1983
1 17
Metaline Mines and Boundary Dam Site
1965
1 18
Output Curves
1958
1 19
Output Data
1966-1968
1 20
Pend Oreille, Box Canyon - Interchange, Actual, Sched Issue
1983
1 21
Plant Capability
1969
1 22
Powerhouse and Dam (Turbines)
1969-1971
1 23
Powerhouse and Dam (Turbines)
1967-1975
1 24
PUD No. 1 Pend Oreille county, Calispel Valley flood control Project
1965-1966
1 25
Water Level Gage
1963-1964
1 26
Z-Canyon Construction Schedules
1958
1 27
Z-Canyon Cost Estimate
1958
1 28
Z-Canyon Development - Arch Dam and Powerhouse Sections Drawing
1958
1 29
Z-Canyon Insert (Includes Photographs)
1958
1 30
Z-Canyon Storage
1958
7 2
Information and Inquiry
1953-1960
7 3
Information and Inquiry
1961-1962
7 4
Information and Inquiry
1963-1965
7 5
Resume of Experience and Positions Held by David S. James
1961
8 8
Appropriations
1953-1963
9 1
Intake Gate Work
1965-1967
9 2
Machine Hall
1964-1967
9 3
Meetings Between City Light and Boundary Dam Constructors
1964-1967
9 6
Welding
1965-1966
9 7
Rock Movement Instrumentation and Targets
1963-1967
9 9
Penstocks: Correspondence
1965-1967
9 10
Electrical and Mechanical Specification No. 1929
1966-1967
10 1
Turbine Installation
1964-1966
10 2
Turbine Installation Specification No. 1929
1966-1967
10 3
Turbine Installation Specification No. 1929
1967
10 5
Modifications of Mine Facilities
1965-1967
12 5
Recreational Facilities
1963-1976
13 1
Intake Gate Hoists Erection Engineer
1966-1967
13 4
Powerhouse Landing Platform
1971
13 5
Intake Tunnels Rock Barrier
1968-1970
13 6
Machine Hall Access Tunnel Door
1969-1971
13 8
Mine Protection Facilities: Raise and Adit
1966-1967
13 9
Mine Protection Facilities: Tunnel Plugs
1966-1967
13 10
Mines Consulting Board
1964-1966
14 1
Operations Division Plant Takeover
1967
14 2
Mine Protection Facilities: Pumping Plant and Equipment
1965-1968
14 3
FPC Article 42: Adjustment of Mine Facilities
1966-1967
14 4
Boundary Mudslide
1982
14 5
Lubricating Oil for Turbine, Generators, and Governors
1967
14 11
Plant Startup Capabilities Tests
1967-1969
14 12
Boundary Resevoir Drawdown
1979
14 13
Resevoir Filling
1967
14 14
Boundary Recreational Accidents
1977
14 15
Forebay Area Comfort Station
1972-1973
14 16
Recreation from Shackleton to Metaline
1970-1976
15 1
Right of Way
1964
15 2
Right of Way
1965
15 3
Right of Way
1966-1973
15 4
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1982
15 5
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1982
15 6
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1983
16 1
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1983
16 2
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1983
16 3
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1983
16 4
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1983
17 1
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1983
17 2
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1983
17 3
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1983
17 4
Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
1983
17 7
Box Canyon
1955-1965
18 1
Z Canyon
1953-1958
18 2
Z Canyon
1959-1963
18 3
Z Canyon Drawings
1958
18 5
Clearing Construction Area Roads
1961-1964
18 7
Roads
1962-1964
18 8
Boundary Tunnel
1962-1964
18 9
Right of Way Clearing for Boundary-Metaline Transmission Line
1962
18 10
Underground Tunnel Excavation
1961-1963
19 1
Undergound Tunnel Excavation
1964
19 2
Undergound Tunnel Excavation
1964-1965
19 3
Boundary Power Transmission
1963-1964
19 4
Warehouse and Garage
1963-1964
19 5
Underground Exploratory Tunnel
1962-1963
19 6
Hydro Domestic Water Supply
1963
19 8
Main Contract Correspondence
1967
20 1
Main Contract Correspondence
1967
20 2
Related Contracts
1925-1938
20 3
Main Contract Electrical Items
1964-1965
20 4
Main Contract Electrical Items
1966
20 5
Main Contract Electrical Items
1966-1967
21 1
Main Contract Electrical Items
1967-1969
21 2
Strainmeter Data
1962-1968
21 3
Box Canyon Financial Statements
1960
21 4
Box Canyon Financial Statements
1961
21 5
Box Canyon Financial Statements
1962
21 6
Box Canyon Financial Statements
1963
21 7
Box Canyon Financial Statements
1964
22 1
Box Canyon Financial Statements
1965
22 2
Box Canyon Financial Statements
1966
22 3
Long-Range Projection of Power Loads and Resources for Thermal Planning
1971
22 4
Long-Range Projection of Power Loads and Resources for Thermal Planning
1972
22 5
Long-Range Projection of Power Loads and Resources for Thermal Planning
1973
22 7
Boundary Condemnation Proceedings
1964-1965
23 1
Output Curve Calculations of Boundary Plant
1959
23 4
Curves and Data
1956-1963
23 6
Review of Harza Plans for Z Canyon
1958
23 7
Raymond A. Hill Correspondence
1959
24 1
Box Canyon Peaking Tests #1-10
1958-1959
24 2
Revised Cost Estimate by Raymond A. Hill
1959
24 3
Federal Power Commission Revised Application for Pend Orielle PUD
1958

Reports and Studies, 1940-1970Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 31
Bonneville Power Administration, Studies of Our System
1940-1960
1 32
20 Year Power Studies For The Base System of Federal Plants (BPA)
1954-1957
1 33
20 Year Study, Cooperative With BPA
1958-1959
2 1
Columbia River Regulation - Joint Study, BPA - Seattle City Light Vol. 1
1958
2 2
Columbia River Regulation - Joint Study, BPA - Seattle City Light Vol. 2
1958
2 3
27 Year Reservoir Regulations of the Columbia River (BPA Study)
1957
2 4
Net Power Flows For 1929-1948 Period Adjusted to 1962-1963 Level of Development
1954
2 5
62206: Seattle and Tacoma Systems Combined
1944-1962
2 6
Coordination Study - Northwest US Resources With Canadian Storage, Case A
undated
2 7
Coordination Study - Northwest US Resources With Canadian Storage, Case A
undated
2 8
Coordination Study - Northwest US Resources With Canadian Storage, Case B
1960
2 9
Coordination Study - Northwest US Resources With Canadian Storage, Case B
1960
2 10
20 Year Regulation Study
undated
2 11
20 Year Regulation Studies by BPA (1928-1948)
1954
2 12
Regulation Studies by BPA of Columbia and Pend Oreille Rivers, Loads and Hydro Data for 1936-1937, 1955-1956, 1966-1967
undated
2 13
Seattle - BPA Cooperative Study, Columbia River (Includes Photographs)
1958-1960
2 14
Seattle - BPA Cooperative Study
1957-1958
2 15
Geologic Report On Pend Oreille River
1953
3 1
Geological Report On Pend Oreille River Power Development and Its Effect On Mining (Includes Photographs)
1953
3 2
Preliminary Report of Geology (War Dept.), Dam Site
1945
3 3
Ground Water Conditions
1957
3 4
Ground Water Report
1969
3 5
Ground Water Study - Pend Oreille River
1959-1963
3 6
Progress Report
1965
3 7
Surveys - Soil and Core
1959
3 8
Basic Power Investigation of the Pacific Northwest Drainage Basin, Seattle Municipal Power System, by BPA
1942
9 4
Geologic Reports by H.A. Coombs
0000
9 5
Proposed Plan for River Diversion
1965
10 4
Installation of Drainage Pumping Plant and Related Work for Modification of Pend Oreille Mines and Metals Company Mine Facilities Specification No. 2001
1967
10 6
Backwater Encroachment on Box Canyon Plant
1965-1966
11 1
Backwater Encroachment on Box Canyon Plant
1966-1967
11 2
Backwater Encroachment on Box Canyon Plant
1967
11 3
Backwater Encroachment on Box Canyon Plant
1967
11 4
Backwater Encroachment on Box Canyon Plant
1968
12 1
Backwater Encroachment on Box Canyon Plant
1968
12 2
Backwater Encroachment on Box Canyon Plant
1969
12 3
Backwater Encroachment on Box Canyon Plant
1970
12 4
Backwater Studies
1955-1970
13 7
Canyon Geology Reports
1966-1969
14 17
Boundary Dam Outlet Works
1966
17 5
Tracings of Plates in Report on Economic Height of Ross Dam
0000
17 6
Pend Orielle Power for Seattle City Light
1953
18 4
Groundwater Studies: Terminal Drilling
1957-1960
18 6
Drilling
1961-1963
22 6
Storage Benefit Study
1957
23 2
Coordination Studies
1958-1961
23 3
Coordination Studies
1961
23 5
J.L. Savage Studies
1956-1959
25 3
Z Canyon Project Transmission Facilities
1958
25 4
Pend Orielle Power for Seattle City Light
1953
25 5
Available Power Sites Suitable for Seattle City Light
1953
25 6
Preliminary Investigation of Hydro-Power Sites on the Pend Orielle River
1955

Hydrological Data, 1957-1975Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 9
Boundary Dam Output and Flow Data
1968
3 10
Boundary High Flow Data
1972
3 11
Pend Oreille River Natural Flow and Regulated Flow
1957-1972
3 12
Pend Oreille River, Boundary Site Water Levels
1959-1961
3 13
Pend Oreille River, Boundary Site Water Levels
1959-1960
3 14
Pend Oreille River, Metaline Falls Water Levels
1961-1975
3 15
Pend Oreille River - Z Canyon Gage Water Levels
1959-1960
3 16
Pend Oreille River - Z Canyon Gage Water Levels
1960-1962
9 8
River Flow and Reservoir Filling
1966-1967
13 2
Backwater Encroachment Notes and Tests
1966-1969
13 3
Backwater Encroachment Notes and Tests
1969-1971
14 7
Pend Orielle River Flow Forecast by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
1967
14 8
Pend Orielle River Nitrogen Saturation
1972-1973
14 9
Pend Orielle River Water Temperatures
1962-1965

Legal Files, 1953-1967Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 17
Amendment and Supplement to Application For License
1959-1960
3 18
Federal Power Commission License
1961-1962
3 19
Federal Power Commission Pend Oreille PUD Petition For Intervention
1957
3 20
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 19
1959
3 21
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 20
1959
3 22
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 21
1959
3 23
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 22
1959
3 24
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 23
1959
3 25
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 24
1959
4 1
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 25
1959
4 2
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 26
1959
4 3
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 27
1959
4 4
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 28
1959
4 5
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 40
1959
4 6
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 49
1959
4 7
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 50
1959
5 1
Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 51
1959
5 2
Negotiations With Pend Oreille PUD No. 1
1954-1964
5 3
Negotiations With Pend Oreille PUD No. 1
1960-1983
5 4
Boundary - Beezer (PUD Pend Oreille County) v. Seattle, Court of Appeals
1961-1962
5 5
PUD No. 1 v. FPC, Seattle (Supreme Court)
1962-1963
5 6
PUD No. 1 Pend Oreille County v. Seattle
1962-1963
5 7
PUD No. 1 Pend Oreille County v. Seattle, Judgment and Decree, Spokane County Superior Court
1966
7 1
Beezer Claim
1961-1964
7 6
Federal Power Commission: Correspondence
1953-1957
7 7
Federal Power Commission: Correspondence
1958-1961
8 1
Federal Power Commission: Correspondence
1962-1967
8 2
Federal Power Commission: Progress Reports
1955-1965
8 3
Federal Power Commission: Progress Reports
1966-1967
8 4
Water Rights Applications
1953-1959
8 5
Water Rights Applications
1960-1964
8 6
U.S. Forest Service: Correspondence
1956-1967
8 7
U.S. Forest Service: Right of Way Lands and Land Rights
1957-1963
19 7
Boundary Project Request for Proposal
1964
24 4
Exceptions to Presiding Examiner's Initial Decision
1961
24 5
Direct Testimonies
1958
25 1
Direct Testimonies
1959
25 2
Direct Testimonies
1959-1960

Photographs, 1933-1976Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
6 1
Photographs - Z Canyon
undated
6 2
Photograph Album - Columbia Basin Z Canyon Photos, Report to J D Ross
1933
6 3
Draft Tube Liner Claim Five
1966
6 4
Miscellaneous
0000
14 6
Pend Orielle River in Canada
1973-1976
14 10
Pend Orielle River Flooding
1964

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Boundary Dam (Wash.)
  • Boundary Project
  • Dams--Washington (State)
  • Hydrography--Washington (State)
  • Public Utilities

Corporate Names

  • Public Utility District No. 1 of Pend Oreille County (Wash.).
  • Seattle (Wash.). Lighting Dept.
  • Seattle City Light
  • United States. Bonneville Power Administration
  • United States. Federal Power Commission

Geographical Names

  • Pend Oreille River
  • Seattle
  • Seattle (Wash.)
  • Z Canyon (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Maps
  • Photographic prints