Our Powerful
Valley
In 2003 Columbia REA had the opportunity to get
involved in developing an exhibit for the newly formed Children’s
Museum of Walla Walla. The museum is set to open
in the early fall of 2004.
Columbia REA along with Bonneville Power Administration, the Army
Corps of Engineers, NOAA, The National Park Service, The Walla
Walla River Basin Watershed Council, FPL Energy, and Reiff Manufacturing,
created an exhibit entitled, “Our Powerful Valley.”
This exhibit has many components to help teach children how the
snow in the Blue Mountains provides power to their homes. From
the exhibit, there are three questions that we want children and
parents to ponder.
- Why is the Hydro System so important in providing cost effective
power solutions?
- How does power get to your home?
- Consider other areas of our
country and how they produce power with methods other than
hydro and wind?
Our Powerful Valley – Exhibit Overview
Streambed Table
This hand’s on exhibit lets visitors get wet and play in
the sand while learning a conservation message. Using innovative
stream-scaping components and blended natural sand, the interactive
stream table engage users of all age levels in teaching real life
watershed and river dynamics. Multipurpose Dam Model
The multipurpose dam model illustrates the essential parts of
a working dam: powerhouse, navigation lock and fish ladders. The
model also demonstrates how the hydro-turbine makes power from
falling water. Children will be able to operate the navigation
lock to allow ships to travel up and down the river. The model
will also feature a hands-on fishing component.
Light up Walla Walla, Walla Walla Wind Machines, & Bigger
Blades More Power
Wind power is a renewable energy source that uses wind for fuel
to make electricity. Children and parents will learn how wind can
power a city, how more power can be made from the wind and the
different types of wind "machines" they can see in the
Walla Walla Valley. Weather Station
Use the weather maker to create a storm by changing the temperature
and humidity. Check out the current weather at the Walla Walla
airport. See how the yearly rainfall varies across the Walla
Walla River watershed. Columbia REA Substation
See how power comes off the Transmission Grid to a substation.
Kids will learn the concept of power being “stepped down” so
that it is safe to serve homes and businesses. Salmon Exploration
The salmon corner exhibit allows children to study the life cycle
of a salmon. The aquarium will have live salmon during certain
times of the year. During the remainder of the year, the salmon
are migrating to the Pacific Ocean, developing in size and maturity,
and returning home by following rivers. It has been many years
since salmon returned to the rivers of the Walla Walla area.
Welcome the salmon home by studying about their life and value. Fish TV
See a “live” feed of the salmon runs at Bonneville
Dam. During non
peak season, educational videos & DVDs relating to exhibit
topics will be shown. |
