See below for a growing and evolving list of communities in the American West that may have been displaced and/or disappeared by river development projects. Please note: this list is a product of tips, suggestions, and bits & pieces gathered from the internet, and so some of these places may not in fact have been inundated by dams and their reservoirs. That’s part of the point of this project — to identify real and truly “drowned towns.”
This list is woefully incomplete — please help! Do you know of other such displaced communities? Do you know more about these places? Were these communities not actually drowned by river development projects? Share your knowledge with The Atlas of Drowned Towns!
| Place | River | Year of Inundation | Inundated by... | Latitude/Longitude (approximate) | Links to additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Falls | Snake River | 1925 | American Falls Dam | 42.81266723196502, -112.8681006673452 | |
| Fort Hall Bottoms | Snake River | 1925 | American Falls Dam | 42.995603, -112.649082 | http://shobannews.com/local_sb0509a05wd.html |
| Otis | Snake River | 1925 | American Falls Dam | 43.006467223404655, -112.73508985678019 | |
| Tilden | Snake River | 1925 | American Falls Dam | 43.006467223404655, -112.73508985678019 | |
| Yuma | Snake River | 1925 | American Falls Dam | 43.006467223404655, -112.73508985678019 | |
| Pine | Boise River | 1950 | Anderson Ranch Dam | 43.47249343872183, -115.30346458988112 | |
| Copper | Applegate River | 1908 | Applegate Dam | 42.0265136, -123.1467152 | https://www.ijpr.org/show/as-it-was/2018-11-08/as-it-was-owners-sacrifice-land-and-dreams-for-applegate-dam |
| Montour | Payette River | 1924 | Black Canyon Dam | 43.93242952145176, -116.33097272676146 | |
| Sapinero | Gunnison River | 1965 | Blue Mesa Reservoir | 38.47042, -107.30600 | https://www.uncovercolorado.com/towns/sapinero/ |
| North Bonneville | Columbia River | 1983 | Bonneville Dam (expansion) | 45.648644, -121.941103 | |
| Robinette | Snake River | 1957 | Brownlee Dam | 44.747464702829085, -117.0508663359263 | |
| Comet | Snake River | 1952 | C.J. Strike Dam | 42.94864444867623, -115.96538722115699 | |
| Garnet / Hall's Ferry | Snake River | 1952 | C.J. Strike Dam | 42.9970155425437, -115.9495082046538 | |
| Canton | Missouri River | 1954 | Canyon Ferry Dam | 46.41425491385925, -111.48331113038294 | |
| Arling | Payette River | 1957 | Cascade Dam | 44.624070329950094, -116.05983597165543 | |
| Center | Payette River | 1957 | Cascade Dam | 44.603484755297295, -116.06487983091786 | |
| Van Wyck | Payette River | 1957 | Cascade Dam | 44.51046784592411, -116.07893357370382 | |
| Armstead | Beaverhead River | 1961 | Clark Canyon Dam | 44.9724206, -112.8641913 | |
| Hebron | Willamette River (Coast Fork) | 1949 | Cottage Grove Dam | 43.69901, -123.07869 | |
| Scism | Boise River | 1908 | Deer Flat Upper Embankment | 43.52416890527892, -116.62329791388126 | |
| Detroit | North Santiam River | 1953 | Detroit Dam | 44.728775735825984, -122.16450540687326 | |
| Lowell | Willamette River (Middle Fork) | 1954 | Dexter Dam | 43.916050, -122.789933 | |
| Jacksonville | Tuolumne River | 1971 | Don Pedro Dam | 37.838125, -120.345685 | https://diva.sfsu.edu/collections/sfbatv/bundles/191578 |
| Dorena | Row River | 1949 | Dorena Dam | 43.7754013, -122.9284061 | https://edits.nationalmap.gov/apps/gaz-domestic/public/search/names/35af34b5-2f8c-55b2-aca5-2924db66ca1d/summary http://dorenahistoricalsociety.com/ |
| Big Island | Clearwater River | 1966 | Dworshak Dam | 46.61917080960798, -116.26538775282337 | |
| Dent | Clearwater River | 1966 | Dworshak Dam | 46.6237922, -116.2031995 | |
| Klamath Junction | Emigrant Creek | 1960 | Emigrant Dam | 42.141811, -122.616857 | https://www.ijpr.org/show/as-it-was/2017-12-19/as-it-was-klamath-junction-emerges-from-drought-stricken-emigrant-lake |
| Mormon Island | American River | 1951 | Folsom Dam | 38.7035, -121.11745 | |
| Foster [?] | South Santiam River | 1967 | Foster Dam | 44.4104025, -122.6723065 | |
| Millerton | San Joaquin River | 1942 | Friant Dam | 37.0152273, -119.6593093 | http://www.gribblenation.org/2018/09/ghost-town-tuesday-millerton-california.html |
| Boyds | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.714497124348384, -118.13256724961393 | |
| Daisy | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.36188111467292, -118.1599909265287 | |
| Enterprise [?] | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.089877, -118.232753 | |
| Gerome | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.03851241116996, -118.28889893462558 | |
| Inchelium | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.307264701830626, -118.17255026704845 | |
| Keller | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 47.98144768869323, -118.68681692569858 | |
| Lincoln | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 47.829073528191, -118.41482036542644 | |
| Marcus | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.66357183474833, -118.06372939710393 | |
| Old Kettle Falls | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.57703439262213, -118.10468610859041 | |
| Peach | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 47.82464295258489, -118.37237396589313 | |
| St. Thomas | Colorado River | 1938 | Hoover Dam | 36.466628294819145, -114.37057850150242 | |
| Arlington | Columbia River | 1963 | John Day Dam | 45.71685553633079, -120.20160395435555 | |
| Arlington | Columbia River | 1963 | John Day Dam | 45.725307, -120.206527 | https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/arlington/#.YZGxR1NlA1I |
| Boardman | Columbia River | 1965 | John Day Dam | 45.856866, -119.702900 | https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/boardman/#.YZGwIFNlA1I |
| Gateway | Kootenai River | 1975 | Libby Dam | 48.999043533143364, -115.17890107531069 | https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dead-and-buried-reflections-on-life-before-the-libby-dam/article_766ffec0-742d-56d6-bf12-7b01cda83120.html |
| Jennings | Kootenai River | 1975 | Libby Dam | 48.36853413772606, -115.32014486764679 | https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dead-and-buried-reflections-on-life-before-the-libby-dam/article_766ffec0-742d-56d6-bf12-7b01cda83120.html |
| Old Rexford | Kootenai River | 1975 | Libby Dam | 48.91028180774813, -115.18228293964124 | https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dead-and-buried-reflections-on-life-before-the-libby-dam/article_766ffec0-742d-56d6-bf12-7b01cda83120.html |
| Rondo | Kootenai River | 1975 | Libby Dam | 48.904074385937605, -115.1766999186597 | https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dead-and-buried-reflections-on-life-before-the-libby-dam/article_766ffec0-742d-56d6-bf12-7b01cda83120.html |
| Sheldon Canyon | Kootenai River | 1975 | Libby Dam | 48.45712860987496, -115.30290984316753 | https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dead-and-buried-reflections-on-life-before-the-libby-dam/article_766ffec0-742d-56d6-bf12-7b01cda83120.html |
| Stonehill | Kootenai River | 1975 | Libby Dam | 48.78383470698119, -115.30641695618019 | https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dead-and-buried-reflections-on-life-before-the-libby-dam/article_766ffec0-742d-56d6-bf12-7b01cda83120.html |
| Tweed | Kootenai River | 1975 | Libby Dam | 48.62765709007498, -115.28117772803553 | https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dead-and-buried-reflections-on-life-before-the-libby-dam/article_766ffec0-742d-56d6-bf12-7b01cda83120.html |
| Ural | Kootenai River | 1975 | Libby Dam | 48.611316272277485, -115.25783178205558 | https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dead-and-buried-reflections-on-life-before-the-libby-dam/article_766ffec0-742d-56d6-bf12-7b01cda83120.html |
| Valcour | Kootenai River | 1975 | Libby Dam | 48.54590009703298, -115.23997899983563 | https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dead-and-buried-reflections-on-life-before-the-libby-dam/article_766ffec0-742d-56d6-bf12-7b01cda83120.html |
| Warland | Kootenai River | 1975 | Libby Dam | 48.52953282006976, -115.25920508218444 | https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dead-and-buried-reflections-on-life-before-the-libby-dam/article_766ffec0-742d-56d6-bf12-7b01cda83120.html |
| Almota | Snake River | 1970 | Little Goose Dam | 46.7029373, -117.4693525 | |
| Penawawa | Snake River | 1970 | Little Goose Dam | 46.7048787, -117.6888115 | https://content.libraries.wsu.edu/digital/collection/maps/id/329/ |
| Blakelyville / Eula / Armet | Willamette River (Middle Fork) | 1953 | Lookout Point Dam | 43.8295689, -122.6150580 | https://edits.nationalmap.gov/apps/gaz-domestic/public/search/names/0494e336-160c-5706-b662-ebe05daa8da3/summary |
| Carter | Willamette River (Middle Fork) | 1953 | Lookout Point Dam | 43.90679, -122.73312 | https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/k930bx102 |
| Landax | Willamette River (Middle Fork) | 1953 | Lookout Point Dam | 43.79568, -122.55117 | https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/k930bx102 |
| Lawler | Willamette River (Middle Fork) | 1953 | Lookout Point Dam | 43.82207, -122.597 | https://www.ci.lowell.or.us/community/page/history |
| Reserve | Willamette River (Middle Fork) | 1953 | Lookout Point Dam | 43.86374, -122.66784 | https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/k930bx102 |
| Signal | Willamette River (Middle Fork) | 1953 | Lookout Point Dam | 43.88596, -122.69562 | https://www.ci.lowell.or.us/community/page/history |
| Wawawai | Snake River | 1975 | Lower Granite Dam | 46.6365482, -117.3793456 | https://www.historylink.org/File/7968 ; |
| Riparia | Snake River | 1969 | Lower Monumental Dam | 46.5784792, -118.0868976 | |
| Moncton / Cedar Falls | Cedar River | 1915 | Masonry Dam | 47.428173, -121.777279 | https://www.historylink.org/File/2436 |
| Hover | Columbia River | 1953 | McNary Dam | 46.11533595666162, -118.9755557408523 | |
| Wallula | Columbia River | 1953 | McNary Dam | 46.081131, -118.932173 | https://historylink.org/File/10524 |
| Monticello | Putah Creek | 1953 | Monticello Dam | 38.57419086453242, -122.21106604837273 | |
| Los Arboles | San Juan River | 1961 | Navajo Dam | 36.4801, -107.3645 | |
| Rosa | San Juan River | 1961 | Navajo Dam | 36.4801, -107.3645 | |
| Watson | Owyhee River | 1932 | Owyhee Dam | 43.307588, -117.430439 | |
| Scoggins Valley | Scoggins Creek | 1975 | Scogggins Dam | 45.478381, -123.214373 | https://thatoregonlife.com/2021/10/ghosts-of-henry-hagg-lake-scoggins-valley-oregon/ |
| Baird | Sacramento River | 1945 | Shasta Dam | 40.79020156629712, -122.30522020431876 | |
| Copper City | Sacramento River | 1945 | Shasta Dam | 40.774343822284685, -122.22144944971471 | |
| Elmore | Sacramento River | 1945 | Shasta Dam | 40.80850351652418, -122.38660934139352 | |
| Morley | Sacramento River | 1945 | Shasta Dam | 40.77294104014996, -122.37994914397667 | |
| Pitt | Sacramento River | 1945 | Shasta Dam | 40.76046312263077, -122.37258787314747 | |
| Winthrop | Sacramento River | 1945 | Shasta Dam | 40.77768981597151, -122.21501016231716 | |
| Celilo Falls | Columbia River | 1957 | The Dalles Dam | 45.657471813085124, -120.95022108849334 | |
| Rockport | Weber River | 1957 | Wanship Dam | 40.764257, -111.390643 | https://www.ksl.com/article/50243431/utah-ghost-town-reappears-as-a-result-of-drought- https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/rockport/history/ |