Saturday Pictures (On Monday)

Saturday Pictures (On Monday)

July 28, 2014

(click to enlarge)

We've been light on pictures this summer. There have been no significant Montana fires, but smoke from blazes in Washington state, and across the border in Alberta, has poured into Montana and created thick haze that washes out the scenery.  But with a cleansing air mass and little bit of travel this last weekend we came up with a few shots. These are all along the upper Missouri River, either in Great Falls (which are not so great as in the day of Lewis and Clark, since they are dammed) or further upstream between Helena and Great Falls.  

I'm publishing these pictures full size, so you can get a better idea of the size and scope of these shots.  Scroll through and enjoy!

Black Eagle Dam in Great Falls, Montana. The dam is to the left; the power plant is to the right. The dam was completed in 1891; the power plant was upgraded in 1921. 

A close up of the Black Eagle Dam powerhouse, generating capacity of 21 megawatts.

Close up of the dam only.

Looking downstream from the Black Eagle dam. The building jutting out from the bluff on the right is the Lewis and Clark Historic Trail Interpretive Center.

This is the next dam downstream, the Rainbow Dam, with a newly upgraded 21st century power plant, generating capacity of 36 megawatts. The greater flow through the power plant turbines leaves less water to flow through the dam spillways.

Here is a close up of the dam spillway.

Looking downstream from the Rainbow Dam. 

Way down there is a 550 foot long steel truss bridge.




In this close-up we get a better look of traffic crossing the Hardy Bridge at milepost 6 of old U.S. 91. The bridge was built in 1931. In this view we can see there is a turnout and a picnic table on the other side. Bridge photos are taken from an overlook on Interstate I-15.