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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.
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Historical Note

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.

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Content Description

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.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

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

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

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

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Subject Files, 1952-1983

    • Description: Archaeological Surveys
      Dates: 1962
      Container: Box 1, Folder 1
    • Description: Backwater Computation: Pend Oreille River - Boundary Project
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 1, Folder 2
    • Description: Bechtel Briefs Article
      Dates: 1964
      Container: Box 1, Folder 3
    • Description: Bond Issue
      Dates: 1963-1964
      Container: Box 1, Folder 4
    • Description: Bonneville Power Administration Agreement
      Dates: 1964
      Container: Box 1, Folder 5
    • Description: Boundary General Information
      Dates: 1960-1969
      Container: Box 1, Folder 6
    • Description: Boundary General Information
      Dates: 1970-1977
      Container: Box 1, Folder 7
    • Description: Box Canyon Project, Diversion For Spillway construction
      Dates: 1952
      Container: Box 1, Folder 8
    • Description: Drawing - Layout, Underground Plant
      Dates: 1956
      Container: Box 1, Folder 9
    • Description: Drawings and Maps - Pend Oreille County (USGS)
      Dates: 1955
      Container: Box 1, Folder 10
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Project No. 1393 Pend Oreille Mines and Metals Company
      Dates: 1962-1963
      Container: Box 1, Folder 11
    • Description: Geological Information
      Dates: 1955-1958
      Container: Box 1, Folder 12
    • Description: Graphs and Charts
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 1, Folder 13
    • Description: Memos and Correspondence
      Dates: 1961-1965
      Container: Box 1, Folder 14
    • Description: Memos
      Dates: 1977-1981
      Container: Box 1, Folder 15
    • Description: Memos
      Dates: 1981-1983
      Container: Box 1, Folder 16
    • Description: Metaline Mines and Boundary Dam Site
      Dates: 1965
      Container: Box 1, Folder 17
    • Description: Output Curves
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 1, Folder 18
    • Description: Output Data
      Dates: 1966-1968
      Container: Box 1, Folder 19
    • Description: Pend Oreille, Box Canyon - Interchange, Actual, Sched Issue
      Dates: 1983
      Container: Box 1, Folder 20
    • Description: Plant Capability
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box 1, Folder 21
    • Description: Powerhouse and Dam (Turbines)
      Dates: 1969-1971
      Container: Box 1, Folder 22
    • Description: Powerhouse and Dam (Turbines)
      Dates: 1967-1975
      Container: Box 1, Folder 23
    • Description: PUD No. 1 Pend Oreille county, Calispel Valley flood control Project
      Dates: 1965-1966
      Container: Box 1, Folder 24
    • Description: Water Level Gage
      Dates: 1963-1964
      Container: Box 1, Folder 25
    • Description: Z-Canyon Construction Schedules
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 1, Folder 26
    • Description: Z-Canyon Cost Estimate
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 1, Folder 27
    • Description: Z-Canyon Development - Arch Dam and Powerhouse Sections Drawing
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 1, Folder 28
    • Description: Z-Canyon Insert (Includes Photographs)
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 1, Folder 29
    • Description: Z-Canyon Storage
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 1, Folder 30
    • Description: Information and Inquiry
      Dates: 1953-1960
      Container: Box 7, Folder 2
    • Description: Information and Inquiry
      Dates: 1961-1962
      Container: Box 7, Folder 3
    • Description: Information and Inquiry
      Dates: 1963-1965
      Container: Box 7, Folder 4
    • Description: Resume of Experience and Positions Held by David S. James
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box 7, Folder 5
    • Description: Appropriations
      Dates: 1953-1963
      Container: Box 8, Folder 8
    • Description: Intake Gate Work
      Dates: 1965-1967
      Container: Box 9, Folder 1
    • Description: Machine Hall
      Dates: 1964-1967
      Container: Box 9, Folder 2
    • Description: Meetings Between City Light and Boundary Dam Constructors
      Dates: 1964-1967
      Container: Box 9, Folder 3
    • Description: Welding
      Dates: 1965-1966
      Container: Box 9, Folder 6
    • Description: Rock Movement Instrumentation and Targets
      Dates: 1963-1967
      Container: Box 9, Folder 7
    • Description: Penstocks: Correspondence
      Dates: 1965-1967
      Container: Box 9, Folder 9
    • Description: Electrical and Mechanical Specification No. 1929
      Dates: 1966-1967
      Container: Box 9, Folder 10
    • Description: Turbine Installation
      Dates: 1964-1966
      Container: Box 10, Folder 1
    • Description: Turbine Installation Specification No. 1929
      Dates: 1966-1967
      Container: Box 10, Folder 2
    • Description: Turbine Installation Specification No. 1929
      Dates: 1967
      Container: Box 10, Folder 3
    • Description: Modifications of Mine Facilities
      Dates: 1965-1967
      Container: Box 10, Folder 5
    • Description: Recreational Facilities
      Dates: 1963-1976
      Container: Box 12, Folder 5
    • Description: Intake Gate Hoists Erection Engineer
      Dates: 1966-1967
      Container: Box 13, Folder 1
    • Description: Powerhouse Landing Platform
      Dates: 1971
      Container: Box 13, Folder 4
    • Description: Intake Tunnels Rock Barrier
      Dates: 1968-1970
      Container: Box 13, Folder 5
    • Description: Machine Hall Access Tunnel Door
      Dates: 1969-1971
      Container: Box 13, Folder 6
    • Description: Mine Protection Facilities: Raise and Adit
      Dates: 1966-1967
      Container: Box 13, Folder 8
    • Description: Mine Protection Facilities: Tunnel Plugs
      Dates: 1966-1967
      Container: Box 13, Folder 9
    • Description: Mines Consulting Board
      Dates: 1964-1966
      Container: Box 13, Folder 10
    • Description: Operations Division Plant Takeover
      Dates: 1967
      Container: Box 14, Folder 1
    • Description: Mine Protection Facilities: Pumping Plant and Equipment
      Dates: 1965-1968
      Container: Box 14, Folder 2
    • Description: FPC Article 42: Adjustment of Mine Facilities
      Dates: 1966-1967
      Container: Box 14, Folder 3
    • Description: Boundary Mudslide
      Dates: 1982
      Container: Box 14, Folder 4
    • Description: Lubricating Oil for Turbine, Generators, and Governors
      Dates: 1967
      Container: Box 14, Folder 5
    • Description: Plant Startup Capabilities Tests
      Dates: 1967-1969
      Container: Box 14, Folder 11
    • Description: Boundary Resevoir Drawdown
      Dates: 1979
      Container: Box 14, Folder 12
    • Description: Resevoir Filling
      Dates: 1967
      Container: Box 14, Folder 13
    • Description: Boundary Recreational Accidents
      Dates: 1977
      Container: Box 14, Folder 14
    • Description: Forebay Area Comfort Station
      Dates: 1972-1973
      Container: Box 14, Folder 15
    • Description: Recreation from Shackleton to Metaline
      Dates: 1970-1976
      Container: Box 14, Folder 16
    • Description: Right of Way
      Dates: 1964
      Container: Box 15, Folder 1
    • Description: Right of Way
      Dates: 1965
      Container: Box 15, Folder 2
    • Description: Right of Way
      Dates: 1966-1973
      Container: Box 15, Folder 3
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1982
      Container: Box 15, Folder 4
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1982
      Container: Box 15, Folder 5
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1983
      Container: Box 15, Folder 6
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1983
      Container: Box 16, Folder 1
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1983
      Container: Box 16, Folder 2
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1983
      Container: Box 16, Folder 3
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1983
      Container: Box 16, Folder 4
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1983
      Container: Box 17, Folder 1
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1983
      Container: Box 17, Folder 2
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1983
      Container: Box 17, Folder 3
    • Description: Powerhouse Units 55 and 56
      Dates: 1983
      Container: Box 17, Folder 4
    • Description: Box Canyon
      Dates: 1955-1965
      Container: Box 17, Folder 7
    • Description: Z Canyon
      Dates: 1953-1958
      Container: Box 18, Folder 1
    • Description: Z Canyon
      Dates: 1959-1963
      Container: Box 18, Folder 2
    • Description: Z Canyon Drawings
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 18, Folder 3
    • Description: Clearing Construction Area Roads
      Dates: 1961-1964
      Container: Box 18, Folder 5
    • Description: Roads
      Dates: 1962-1964
      Container: Box 18, Folder 7
    • Description: Boundary Tunnel
      Dates: 1962-1964
      Container: Box 18, Folder 8
    • Description: Right of Way Clearing for Boundary-Metaline Transmission Line
      Dates: 1962
      Container: Box 18, Folder 9
    • Description: Underground Tunnel Excavation
      Dates: 1961-1963
      Container: Box 18, Folder 10
    • Description: Undergound Tunnel Excavation
      Dates: 1964
      Container: Box 19, Folder 1
    • Description: Undergound Tunnel Excavation
      Dates: 1964-1965
      Container: Box 19, Folder 2
    • Description: Boundary Power Transmission
      Dates: 1963-1964
      Container: Box 19, Folder 3
    • Description: Warehouse and Garage
      Dates: 1963-1964
      Container: Box 19, Folder 4
    • Description: Underground Exploratory Tunnel
      Dates: 1962-1963
      Container: Box 19, Folder 5
    • Description: Hydro Domestic Water Supply
      Dates: 1963
      Container: Box 19, Folder 6
    • Description: Main Contract Correspondence
      Dates: 1967
      Container: Box 19, Folder 8
    • Description: Main Contract Correspondence
      Dates: 1967
      Container: Box 20, Folder 1
    • Description: Related Contracts
      Dates: 1925-1938
      Container: Box 20, Folder 2
    • Description: Main Contract Electrical Items
      Dates: 1964-1965
      Container: Box 20, Folder 3
    • Description: Main Contract Electrical Items
      Dates: 1966
      Container: Box 20, Folder 4
    • Description: Main Contract Electrical Items
      Dates: 1966-1967
      Container: Box 20, Folder 5
    • Description: Main Contract Electrical Items
      Dates: 1967-1969
      Container: Box 21, Folder 1
    • Description: Strainmeter Data
      Dates: 1962-1968
      Container: Box 21, Folder 2
    • Description: Box Canyon Financial Statements
      Dates: 1960
      Container: Box 21, Folder 3
    • Description: Box Canyon Financial Statements
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box 21, Folder 4
    • Description: Box Canyon Financial Statements
      Dates: 1962
      Container: Box 21, Folder 5
    • Description: Box Canyon Financial Statements
      Dates: 1963
      Container: Box 21, Folder 6
    • Description: Box Canyon Financial Statements
      Dates: 1964
      Container: Box 21, Folder 7
    • Description: Box Canyon Financial Statements
      Dates: 1965
      Container: Box 22, Folder 1
    • Description: Box Canyon Financial Statements
      Dates: 1966
      Container: Box 22, Folder 2
    • Description: Long-Range Projection of Power Loads and Resources for Thermal Planning
      Dates: 1971
      Container: Box 22, Folder 3
    • Description: Long-Range Projection of Power Loads and Resources for Thermal Planning
      Dates: 1972
      Container: Box 22, Folder 4
    • Description: Long-Range Projection of Power Loads and Resources for Thermal Planning
      Dates: 1973
      Container: Box 22, Folder 5
    • Description: Boundary Condemnation Proceedings
      Dates: 1964-1965
      Container: Box 22, Folder 7
    • Description: Output Curve Calculations of Boundary Plant
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 23, Folder 1
    • Description: Curves and Data
      Dates: 1956-1963
      Container: Box 23, Folder 4
    • Description: Review of Harza Plans for Z Canyon
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 23, Folder 6
    • Description: Raymond A. Hill Correspondence
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 23, Folder 7
    • Description: Box Canyon Peaking Tests #1-10
      Dates: 1958-1959
      Container: Box 24, Folder 1
    • Description: Revised Cost Estimate by Raymond A. Hill
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 24, Folder 2
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Revised Application for Pend Orielle PUD
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 24, Folder 3
  • Reports and Studies, 1940-1970

  • Hydrological Data, 1957-1975

  • Legal Files, 1953-1967

    • Description: Amendment and Supplement to Application For License
      Dates: 1959-1960
      Container: Box 3, Folder 17
    • Description: Federal Power Commission License
      Dates: 1961-1962
      Container: Box 3, Folder 18
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Pend Oreille PUD Petition For Intervention
      Dates: 1957
      Container: Box 3, Folder 19
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 19
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 3, Folder 20
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 20
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 3, Folder 21
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 21
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 3, Folder 22
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 22
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 3, Folder 23
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 23
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 3, Folder 24
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 24
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 3, Folder 25
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 25
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 4, Folder 1
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 26
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 4, Folder 2
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 27
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 4, Folder 3
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 28
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 4, Folder 4
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 40
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 4, Folder 5
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 49
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 4, Folder 6
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 50
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 4, Folder 7
    • Description: Federal Power Commission Proceedings Vol 51
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 5, Folder 1
    • Description: Negotiations With Pend Oreille PUD No. 1
      Dates: 1954-1964
      Container: Box 5, Folder 2
    • Description: Negotiations With Pend Oreille PUD No. 1
      Dates: 1960-1983
      Container: Box 5, Folder 3
    • Description: Boundary - Beezer (PUD Pend Oreille County) v. Seattle, Court of Appeals
      Dates: 1961-1962
      Container: Box 5, Folder 4
    • Description: PUD No. 1 v. FPC, Seattle (Supreme Court)
      Dates: 1962-1963
      Container: Box 5, Folder 5
    • Description: PUD No. 1 Pend Oreille County v. Seattle
      Dates: 1962-1963
      Container: Box 5, Folder 6
    • Description: PUD No. 1 Pend Oreille County v. Seattle, Judgment and Decree, Spokane County Superior Court
      Dates: 1966
      Container: Box 5, Folder 7
    • Description: Beezer Claim
      Dates: 1961-1964
      Container: Box 7, Folder 1
    • Description: Federal Power Commission: Correspondence
      Dates: 1953-1957
      Container: Box 7, Folder 6
    • Description: Federal Power Commission: Correspondence
      Dates: 1958-1961
      Container: Box 7, Folder 7
    • Description: Federal Power Commission: Correspondence
      Dates: 1962-1967
      Container: Box 8, Folder 1
    • Description: Federal Power Commission: Progress Reports
      Dates: 1955-1965
      Container: Box 8, Folder 2
    • Description: Federal Power Commission: Progress Reports
      Dates: 1966-1967
      Container: Box 8, Folder 3
    • Description: Water Rights Applications
      Dates: 1953-1959
      Container: Box 8, Folder 4
    • Description: Water Rights Applications
      Dates: 1960-1964
      Container: Box 8, Folder 5
    • Description: U.S. Forest Service: Correspondence
      Dates: 1956-1967
      Container: Box 8, Folder 6
    • Description: U.S. Forest Service: Right of Way Lands and Land Rights
      Dates: 1957-1963
      Container: Box 8, Folder 7
    • Description: Boundary Project Request for Proposal
      Dates: 1964
      Container: Box 19, Folder 7
    • Description: Exceptions to Presiding Examiner's Initial Decision
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box 24, Folder 4
    • Description: Direct Testimonies
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box 24, Folder 5
    • Description: Direct Testimonies
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 25, Folder 1
    • Description: Direct Testimonies
      Dates: 1959-1960
      Container: Box 25, Folder 2
  • Photographs, 1933-1976

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