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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Thomas | Colorado River | 1938 | Hoover Dam | 36.466628294819145, -114.37057850150242 | |
| Arlington | Columbia River | 1963 | John Day Dam | 45.71685553633079, -120.20160395435555 | |
| Celilo Falls | Columbia River | 1957 | The Dalles Dam | 45.657471813085124, -120.95022108849334 | |
| Hover | Columbia River | 1953 | McNary Dam | 46.11533595666162, -118.9755557408523 | |
| Daisy | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.36188111467292, -118.1599909265287 | |
| Gerome | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.03851241116996, -118.28889893462558 | |
| Peach | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 47.82464295258489, -118.37237396589313 | |
| Marcus | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.66357183474833, -118.06372939710393 | |
| Old Kettle Falls | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.57703439262213, -118.10468610859041 | |
| Keller | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 47.98144768869323, -118.68681692569858 | |
| Lincoln | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 47.829073528191, -118.41482036542644 | |
| Boyds | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.714497124348384, -118.13256724961393 | |
| Inchelium | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.307264701830626, -118.17255026704845 | |
| Detroit | North Santiam River | 1953 | Detroit Dam | 44.728775735825984, -122.16450540687326 | |
| 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 | |
| American Falls | Snake River | 1925 | American Falls Dam | 42.81266723196502, -112.8681006673452 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Robinette | Snake River | 1957 | Brownlee Dam | 44.747464702829085, -117.0508663359263 | |
| Pine | Boise River | 1950 | Anderson Ranch Dam | 43.47249343872183, -115.30346458988112 | |
| Scism | Boise River | 1908 | Deer Flat Upper Embankment | 43.52416890527892, -116.62329791388126 | |
| Big Island | Clearwater River | 1966 | Dworshak Dam | 46.61917080960798, -116.26538775282337 | |
| Montour | Payette River | 1924 | Black Canyon Dam | 43.93242952145176, -116.33097272676146 | |
| Van Wyck | Payette River | 1957 | Cascade Dam | 44.51046784592411, -116.07893357370382 | |
| Center | Payette River | 1957 | Cascade Dam | 44.603484755297295, -116.06487983091786 | |
| Arling | Payette River | 1957 | Cascade Dam | 44.624070329950094, -116.05983597165543 | |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Armstead | Beaverhead River | 1961 | Clark Canyon Dam | 44.9724206, -112.8641913 | |
| Canton | Missouri River | 1954 | Canyon Ferry Dam | 46.41425491385925, -111.48331113038294 | |
| Dent | Clearwater River | 1966 | Dworshak Dam | 46.6237922, -116.2031995 | |
| Watson | Owyhee River | 1932 | Owyhee Dam | 43.307588, -117.430439 | |
| Riparia | Snake River | 1969 | Lower Monumental Dam | 46.5784792, -118.0868976 | |
| Mormon Island | American River | 1951 | Folsom Dam | 38.7035, -121.11745 | |
| 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 | |
| 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/ |
| Almota | Snake River | 1970 | Little Goose Dam | 46.7029373, -117.4693525 | |
| Wawawai | Snake River | 1975 | Lower Granite Dam | 46.6365482, -117.3793456 | https://www.historylink.org/File/7968 ; |
| Penawawa | Snake River | 1970 | Little Goose Dam | 46.7048787, -117.6888115 | https://content.libraries.wsu.edu/digital/collection/maps/id/329/ |
| Fort Hall Bottoms | Snake River | 1925 | American Falls Dam | 42.995603, -112.649082 | http://shobannews.com/local_sb0509a05wd.html |
| Wallula | Columbia River | 1953 | McNary Dam | 46.081131, -118.932173 | https://historylink.org/File/10524 |
| Boardman | Columbia River | 1965 | John Day Dam | 45.856866, -119.702900 | https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/boardman/#.YZGwIFNlA1I |
| Arlington | Columbia River | 1963 | John Day Dam | 45.725307, -120.206527 | https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/arlington/#.YZGxR1NlA1I |
| Scoggins Valley | Scoggins Creek | 1975 | Scogggins Dam | 45.478381, -123.214373 | https://thatoregonlife.com/2021/10/ghosts-of-henry-hagg-lake-scoggins-valley-oregon/ |
| Foster [?] | South Santiam River | 1967 | Foster Dam | 44.4104025, -122.6723065 | |
| Jacksonville | Tuolumne River | 1971 | Don Pedro Dam | 37.838125, -120.345685 | https://diva.sfsu.edu/collections/sfbatv/bundles/191578 |
| Moncton / Cedar Falls | Cedar River | 1915 | Masonry Dam | 47.428173, -121.777279 | https://www.historylink.org/File/2436 |
| Enterprise [?] | Columbia River | 1942 | Grand Coulee Dam | 48.089877, -118.232753 | |
| Sapinero | Gunnison River | 1965 | Blue Mesa Reservoir | 38.47042, -107.30600 | https://www.uncovercolorado.com/towns/sapinero/ |
| Lowell | Willamette River (Middle Fork) | 1954 | Dexter Dam | 43.916050, -122.789933 | |
| North Bonneville | Columbia River | 1983 | Bonneville Dam (expansion) | 45.648644, -121.941103 | |
| Millerton | San Joaquin River | 1942 | Friant Dam | 37.0152273, -119.6593093 | http://www.gribblenation.org/2018/09/ghost-town-tuesday-millerton-california.html |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Carter | Willamette River (Middle Fork) | 1953 | Lookout Point Dam | 43.90679, -122.73312 | https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/k930bx102 |
| 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/ |
| Hebron | Willamette River (Coast Fork) | 1949 | Cottage Grove Dam | 43.69901, -123.07869 | |
| 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 |
| 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 |