Giant Claw Clears Debris From Monroe Street Dam - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Giant Claw Clears Debris From Monroe Street Dam

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by Patrick Erickson, KHQ Reporter - email
PHOTO: City Of Spokane PHOTO: City Of Spokane

SPOKANE, Wash. - If you've ever played the claw game in an arcade, that's exactly what the crane operator is doing in downtown Spokane, but he's not looking for teddy bears.     

Pedestrians walking along the Monroe and Post Street Bridges couldn't help but stop and watch Tuesday afternoon as a  giant crane using a claw, cleared away rocks and sediment from the Monroe Street Dam.

Avista usually does this every two years or so but after an unusually high runoff this spring they are having to clear debris away for the second year in a row.

Built in 1899 the Monroe Street hydroelectric facility helps power downtown and surrounding areas with the help from the Spokane River. 

In this process, the crane actually picks up tons of large rocks and gravel along with logs that collect near the intake to the dam and places them downstream in an environmentally conscious way. 

Moving the heavy debris keeps the turbines running and the dam from being damaged. Avista says they will continue to cleanup should take 2 to 3 weeks.