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American Experience

Grand Coulee Dam's Open Spillways

This 15-second time-lapse video shows the Grand Coulee Dam's spillway closing.

04/02/2012 | Rating NR

American Experience

Grand Coulee Dam's Open Spillways

Clip: Season 24 Episode 6 | 15s

This 15-second time-lapse video shows the Grand Coulee Dam's spillway closing.

More than a mile long, the Grand Coulee Dam is the largest concrete structure in the U.S. In the fall of 2011, dam operators agreed to open the spillway just for American Experience. "It was very exciting that they agreed to spill for us for a short period specifically for the film," said Associate Producer Lauren DeFilippo. "We ran to the top and bottom [of the dam] in about 30 minutes."

04/02/2012 | Rating NR

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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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Grand Coulee Dam - Preview

Preview: S24 Ep6 | 30s | Airs Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 8/7c. Check your local listings. (30s)

The Columbia Basin Project

Clip: S24 Ep6 | 1m 5s | In the spring of 1952, work was finally underway on the Columbia Basin Project. (1m 5s)

Diverting the Columbia River

Clip: S24 Ep6 | 2m 40s | The biggest challenge in building Grand Coulee Dam was diverting the flow of the Columbia. (2m 40s)

Grand Coulee Dam: Engineering Challenges

Clip: S24 Ep6 | 2m 46s | The engineering challenges became apparent as soon as construction got underway. (2m 46s)

Grand Coulee Dam: Pouring the Concrete

Clip: S24 Ep6 | 1m 56s | It took millions of cubic yards of concrete to build Grand Coulee Dam. (1m 56s)

The Impact of Grand Coulee Dam

Clip: S24 Ep6 | 1m 13s | Grand Coulee Dam was dedicated in front of a crowd of 8,000 on March 22, 1941. (1m 13s)

Grand Coulee Dam Chapter 1

Clip: S24 Ep6 | 13m 16s | Premiering April 3, 2012 at 8/7c. Check your local listings. (13m 16s)

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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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