Diverting the Columbia River

American Experience
Air Date: 04/03/12 | Rating: NR

The biggest challenge in building Grand Coulee Dam was diverting the flow of the Columbia. To make this happen, the workers had to build cofferdams, temporary structures that keep the river at bay, allowing workers to dig out the mud and expose the granite bedrock on which the dam would rest. The west side cofferdam was completed on March 23, 1935. Soon after, the water level rose 32 feet.

American Experience Image

Jesse Owens
S24 Ep7 | 52m 2s
Air Date: 04/30/12 | Expires: 07/02/24 | Rating: NR

His stunning triumph at the 1936 Olympics captivated the world and infuriated the Nazis.

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