Spokane Falls

Spokane Falls is the name of a waterfall and dam on the Spokane River in Spokane, Washington's central business district. Spokane was also once known as "Spokane Falls". This series of two waterfalls, a defining feature of Spokane's Riverfront Park, features one of the best urban waterfalls in the country. Lower and Upper Spokane Falls, located in the heart of downtown Spokane, have a lengthy history in the area. The falls, formerly a popular gathering place for local cultures, is now linked with the city and the development of hydroelectric power.

Spokane Falls' natural beauty has been preserved despite the urban expansion. Huntington Park, located near City Hall, is one of the greatest spots to watch Lower Falls from land. Riverfront Park also has a SkyRide, which consists of an enclosed-cabin cable ride above the lower falls. The water that is not diverted by the dam to the south fork pours over the Upper Falls. The river splits again at Salmon People Island, and the north fork goes over the two Upper Falls on either side of the island. The park is mostly on Havermale Island, with the first fork in the river forming the park's eastern boundary. This is the site of the Upper Falls Dam, a diversion dam constructed in 1920 that directs the water into the Upper Falls intake on the south channel of the Spokane River. The Lower Falls is the site of a second diversion dam, the Monroe Street Dam. Completed in 1890, it was the first dam built on the Spokane River and is currently the longest-running hydroelectric generation facility in Washington state. Its Kaplan turbine has a generating capacity of 14.82 MW.