Nespelem River before the river empties into the Columbia River. This reach of the Columbia River is several miles below Grand Coulee Dam and many miles above Chief Joseph Dam. The impounded Columbia River behind Chief Joseph Dam, into which the Nespelem River flows, is called Rufus Woods Lake. Nespelem River The Nespelem River is a northern tributary of the Columbia River, in the U.S. state of Washington. It is completely contained within Okanogan County and the Colville Indian Reservation. The name "Nespelem" is said to come from the Indian word "nesilim", meaning "flat land". The Nespelem River originates in eastern Okanogan
Grand Coulee Dam and during construction, workers and engineers experienced problems. Contracts for companies to construct the various parts of the dam were difficult to award as few companies were sizable enough to fill them. This forced companies to consolidate. In addition, Native American graves had to be relocated and temporary fish ladders had to be constructed. During construction additional problems included landslides and the need to protect newly poured concrete from freezing. Construction on the downstream Grand Coulee Bridge began in and more considerable earth-moving began in August. Excavation for the dam's foundation required the removal of of dirt and stone. To