It’s impossible to tell the history of the Powerhouse Center without also telling the story of water. After all, it’s an unusual tale of humans capturing nature then releasing it to roam free. While construction of the powerhouse was started in 1909 and completed in 1912, it required the diversion of both The Big and Little Sandy Rivers and the construction of Roselyn lake before our turbines would ever generate their first spark of electricity.
All that diverted water collected in Roselyn Lake, located 300 feet above hill from the powerhouse. From that reservoir of potential energy, the water was pulled downhill by the force of gravity – building pressure and kinetic energy as it surged through massive underground pipes which guided the force of water to spin four Westinghouse turbines. The water then flushed towards the outside world through draft tubes and tunnels, finally churning into a third river known as the Bull Run.
A side effect of all this hydraulic mixing was that it confused and blocked the area’s native fish runs. After all, Chinook Salmon and Cutthroat Trout travel hundreds of miles from their birthplace to spend years out at sea, only to sniff their way back home by the trailing scent of familiar water. The fish undertake this treacherous journey in an effort to lay eggs and regenerate life in the fresh shallows where they were born.
Unfortunately, fish from three distinct waterways would smell a path to the Bull Run but those from the Big and Little Sandy Rivers could follow the scent no further than the churn of turbines. Overtime, this dead end decimated the native fish population which, in turn, had cascading effects throughout the local ecosystem.
In a process fueled by environmental concern, the powerhouse was decommissioned in May of 2008 and its career generating electricity for the Portland area came to an end. Roselyn Lake was drained, the Big and Little Sandy Rivers were released from their confines and our local fish were once again free to smell and swim their way home.
