The Similkameen River runs through southern British Columbia , Canada, eventually discharging into the Okanagan River near Oroville, Washington , in the United States. Through the Okanagan River, it drains to the Columbia River . The river is said to be named for an indigenous people called Similkameigh , meaning "treacherous waters".
17-584: The river is controversially dammed (the now-defunct Enloe Dam ), blocking fish passage to the upper (Canadian) reaches of the river. The first mention of the Similkameen by a European was by Alexander Ross . While on a trading expedition, he travelled by way of the "Similkameigh River." Sir George Simpson used the name "Similkameigh" for one of the groups part of the Okanagan Nation . The transition from Similkameigh to Similkameen may have been inspired by
34-646: A booming mine town at the turn of the 20th century with hotels and a burlesque house , but now only has a population of about five people. The border crossing is usually known as "the Nighthawk crossing" on the Canadian side, though the official name of the Canadian-side locality is Chopaka . 48°58′00″N 119°38′31″W / 48.96667°N 119.64194°W / 48.96667; -119.64194 This Okanogan County, Washington state location article
51-616: A second penstock. The dam features an unregulated overflow spillway whose height can be augmented by flashboards. The powerplant replaced a small run-of-river plant, which received water from a diversion channel. In 1923, the site was purchased by the Washington Water Power Company. In 1942 the WWPC was purchased by the Okanogan Public Utility District, which then ceased operations at Enloe Dam in 1958, as power
68-696: A study showing reenergizing the dam would be too expensive, the Okanogan PUD voted in 2019 to abandon plans. They are seeking to give the dam away to have it demolished, but removal remains too expensive. The Colville Indian tribes are seeking its removal to restore salmon to the Similkameen River. Nighthawk, Washington Nighthawk is an unincorporated community on the Similkameen River in Okanogan County , Washington , United States. It
85-513: Is located just above the river's mouth. The river, after flowing over the dam, drops over what is left of Coyote Falls. Lacking fish ladders, Enloe Dam blocks fish passage and completely extirpated anadromous fish migration into the upper reaches of the Similkameen River and its tributaries in Canada. However, Coyote Falls is 20 feet tall thus making it impossible for salmon (who can only jump 12 feet) to migrate further than that point and would never reach
102-463: The Crowsnest Highway . About 25 km (16 mi) upstream from Princeton, the river drops over Similkameen Falls . Numerous viewpoints of the river occur from the highway, the most popular being Bromley Rock , where swimming in the river from a spectacular sandy beach is possible. In a typical Okanagan, BC summer, the water is warm and fantastic for swimming. It contributes 75% of the flow of
119-643: The Okanogan River and crosses the international border at Nighthawk, Washington . The United States Geological Survey maintains a stream gauge at river mile 15.8, just upstream from the Oroville–Tonasket Irrigation District canal intake. The river's discharge (flow) at this point averages 2,283 cubic feet per second (64.6 m/s), with a recorded maximum of 45,800 cu ft/s (1,300 m/s) and minimum of 65 cu ft/s (1.8 m/s). The Enloe Dam , completed in 1920,
136-554: The US Geological Survey , and private consultants. 48°53′30″N 119°25′49″W / 48.89167°N 119.43028°W / 48.89167; -119.43028 Enloe Dam and Powerplant The Enloe Dam , also known as the Similkameen Dam , and its powerplant are located on the Similkameen River about 4 miles (6.4 km) west-northwest of Oroville, Washington . Located just above Similkameen (Coyote) Falls,
153-541: The concrete arch-gravity dam stands about 54 feet (16 m) high, with a crest length of about 290 feet (88 m), built between 1916 and 1923. The dam was named after the president of the Okanogan Valley Power Company, Eugene Enloe. The dam was operated to generate power at its powerplant, located about 850 feet (260 m) downstream from the dam. Lacking fish ladders, Enloe Dam blocks fish passage and completely extirpated anadromous fish migration into
170-438: The dam in 1913 met no interest, partly because of the poor state of the crib dam. Eugene Enloe of the Okanogan Valley Power Company was able to secure the rights to the site in 1916, hiring C.F. Uhden to design the dam that year. Construction did not start until 1919 and was completed in 1920 at a cost of $ 350,000, $ 150,000 of it Enloe's money. Enloe sold the dam and powerplant in 1923 to Washington Water Power Company , which added
187-766: The dam. The Similkameen River subject to international water-sharing agreements governed by the International Joint Commission as part of the Columbia Basin . The authority responsible for overseeing the IJC agreements is the International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control, composed of appointees from Environment Canada , the BC Ministry of Water, Land Air Protection, the US Army Corps of Engineers ,
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#1732838344730204-631: The license was withdrawn in 1986 because the dam's impact on anadromous fish had not been addressed. A second license for a 4.1 megawatt plant was granted in 1996, but was again rescinded on the same grounds in 2000. Yet another application was submitted in August 2008, seeking to build a new powerplant to generate 9 megawatts, fed by a new intake channel. Enloe Dam was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 18, 1978 as an example of early power development in rural Washington. After
221-584: The name of the Tulameen River despite being etymologically incorrect. The name Similkameigh comes from a now-extinct language of Nicola-Similkameen, of the Athapascan languages, and is believed to mean "Salmon River." It starts at Nordheim Peak, on the east flank of Manning Park , about 10.3 km (6.4 mi) north of Allison Pass and flows past the settlements of East Gate , Princeton , Hedley , Keremeos , and Cawston , closely followed by Highway 3,
238-499: The proposed new hydroelectric development is undertaken. The powerhouse was fed by two wood stave penstocks, 7 feet (2.1 m) in diameter, running to Pelton wheels driving two 1.6 megawatt generators. The generator hall stands next to a heavily built transformer vault. The Okanogan Public Utility District obtained a new license for power generation from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 1983, but
255-434: The upper reaches of the Similkameen River and its tributaries in Canada. The dam replaced a wood crib dam started in 1903 by J.M. Hagerty, a local entrepreneur, and completed a year after his death. The dam fed a generating plant in a wooden powerplant below the dam and falls. Power went to the towns of Nighthawk and Oroville , as well as the nearby Owasco, Ivanhoe, Ruby and Canba mines. Attempts by Hagerty's estate to sell
272-475: Was available from the Bonneville Power Administration system at less cost. The dam's reservoir extends 2 miles (3.2 km) up the Similkameen River. Largely silted up, it is just 9 feet (2.7 m) deep. Storage capacity is only 507 acre-feet (625,000 m ). The concrete powerhouse is in a partly ruinous state, and options have been presented to stabilize or demolish the structure when
289-552: Was named for a nearby (and now-closed) mine. Another source says that it was named after the nighthawks common to the area. Nighthawk is a (mostly former) logging area along Loomis–Oroville Highway west-northwest of Oroville , Washington. Just north of Nighthawk is the Nighthawk–Chopaka Border Crossing , a 9 am – 5 pm Canada–US border crossing. Nighthawk is located along the former Great Northern Railroad (now BNSF ). The town of Nighthawk used to be
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