Editing Coulee Dam, Washington

{{about|the town in Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties, Washington|the dam|Grand Coulee Dam}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Coulee Dam
|settlement_type          = Town
|image_skyline            = Coulee Dam, WA from Crown Point.png
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_map                = Grant_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Coulee_Dam_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Coulee Dam, Washington
<!-- Location ------>
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = State
|subdivision_name1        = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Washington|Counties]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Okanogan County, Washington|Okanogan]], [[Douglas County, Washington|Douglas]], [[Grant County, Washington|Grant]]
<!-- Government ----->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         = 
<!-- Area ------->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_53.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 2.05
|area_land_km2            = 1.85
|area_water_km2           = 0.19
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.79
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.72
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.07
<!-- Population ----->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
|population_total         = 1211
|population_density_km2   = 582.56
|population_density_sq_mi = 1508.38
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
|utc_offset               = -8
|timezone_DST             = PDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -7
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1152
|coordinates              = {{coord|47|58|08|N|118|58|34|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99116
|area_code                = [[Area code 509|509]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 53-15115
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2413249<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2413249}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://townofcouleedam.org/|townofcouleedam.org}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Coulee Dam''' is a town in [[Douglas County, Washington|Douglas]], [[Grant County, Washington|Grant]], and [[Okanogan County, Washington|Okanogan]] counties in the state of [[Washington (state)|Washington]]. The Douglas County portion of Coulee Dam is part of the [[Wenatchee, Washington|Wenatchee]]&ndash;[[East Wenatchee, Washington|East Wenatchee]] [[Wenatchee metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. The population was 1,211 as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{cite web|title=2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US5315115 |work=American FactFinder |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=March 18, 2022}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Coulee Dam under construction - NARA - 298709.jpg|thumb|Dam under construction, possibly around 1937]]
{{unsourced|section|date=February 2025}}
Coulee Dam was founded by the U.S. [[Bureau of Reclamation]] in 1933, to serve as headquarters for the construction of the [[Grand Coulee Dam]]. The Okanogan County portion was known as Mason City, location of the head contractor. The portions in Douglas and Grant Counties were known as Engineers Town and were government-owned. In 1942, with the end of the contract in sight, CBI transferred control of Mason City to the Municipal Division of the Columbia Basin Project. In 1948, Mason City was incorporated into Coulee Dam. The government began the process of selling the town to the public in 1957, finishing in 1959. Coulee Dam was officially incorporated as a town on February 26, 1959.

It is the headquarters of [[Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area]] and home to one of the world's largest man-made piles of sand, a {{convert|12000000|cuyd|m3|adj=on}}, {{convert|230|ft|m|adj=on}}-high hill remaining from dam construction.

==Geography==

The [[Okanogan County, Washington|Okanogan County]] portion lies within the [[Colville Indian Reservation]], and forms the southern limit of the [[Okanagan Highland|Okanogan Highlands]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.78|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which, {{convert|0.72|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.06|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=December 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=July 2, 2012 }}</ref>

===Climate===
This [[climate|climatic]] region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Coulee Dam has a [[humid continental climate]], abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=571254&cityname=Coulee+Dam%2C+Washington%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Coulee Dam, Washington]</ref>

{{Weather box 
|location = Coulee Dam, WA
|single line = Y
|collapsed = Y
| Jan record high F = 57
| Feb record high F = 61
| Mar record high F = 74
| Apr record high F = 92
| May record high F = 100
| Jun record high F = 105
| Jul record high F = 113
| Aug record high F = 110
| Sep record high F = 104
| Oct record high F = 90
| Nov record high F = 69
| Dec record high F = 58
| year record high F = 113
| Jan high F = 32.2
| Feb high F = 39.7
| Mar high F = 50.7
| Apr high F = 61.7
| May high F = 71.0
| Jun high F = 78.5
| Jul high F = 87.6
| Aug high F = 86.4
| Sep high F = 77.2
| Oct high F = 61.5
| Nov high F = 43.6
| Dec high F = 34.4
| year high F = 60.4
| Jan low F = 21.6
| Feb low F = 25.7
| Mar low F = 31.5
| Apr low F = 38.2
| May low F = 45.8
| Jun low F = 52.5
| Jul low F = 58.3
| Aug low F = 57.5
| Sep low F = 50.3
| Oct low F = 40.6
| Nov low F = 31.4
| Dec low F = 24.6
| year low F = 39.8
| Jan record low F = -17
| Feb record low F = -15
| Mar record low F = 0
| Apr record low F = 20
| May record low F = 27
| Jun record low F = 36
| Jul record low F = 32
| Aug record low F = 38
| Sep record low F = 30
| Oct record low F = 10
| Nov record low F = -10
| Dec record low F = -16
| year record low F = -17
|precipitation colour=green
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.07
| Feb precipitation inch = 0.92
| Mar precipitation inch = 0.88
| Apr precipitation inch = 0.83
| May precipitation inch = 1.10
| Jun precipitation inch = 1.04
| Jul precipitation inch = 0.47
| Aug precipitation inch = 0.41
| Sep precipitation inch = 0.49
| Oct precipitation inch = 0.72
| Nov precipitation inch = 1.24
| Dec precipitation inch = 1.39
| year precipitation inch = 10.55

| Jan snow inch = 6.1
| Feb snow inch = 2.5
| Mar snow inch = 0.8
| Apr snow inch = 0.0
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.0
| Nov snow inch = 1.5
| Dec snow inch = 4.6
| year snow inch = 15.5
|source 1 = <ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?wa1767 |title=COULEE DAM 1 SW, WASHINGTON (451767) |accessdate=July 8, 2016 |publisher=Western Regional Climate Center }}</ref>
|date=July 2016
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1960= 1344
|1970= 1425
|1980= 1412
|1990= 1087
|2000= 1044
|2010= 1098
|2020= 1211
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 4, 2013}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]],<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=December 19, 2012}}</ref> there were 1,098 people, 459 households, and 301 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|1525.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 534 housing units at an average density of {{convert|741.7|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 55.0% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 35.5% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.7% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 2.4% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 5.9% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 6.7% of the population.

There were 459 households, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.4% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93.

The median age in the town was 41.6 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.1% were from 25 to 44; 28.8% were from 45 to 64; and 17.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], there were 1,044 people, 448 households, and 305 families living in the town. The population density was 1,532.5 people per square mile (592.8/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 499 housing units at an average density of 732.5 per square mile (283.3/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 64.56% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.29% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 29.12% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.48% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.57% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.98% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.78% of the population.

There were 448 households, out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,391, and the median income for a family was $45,066. Males had a median income of $38,000 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,791. About 6.7% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable person==
* [[Lawrence Colburn]], born in Coulee Dam, one of three people to have intervened in the [[My Lai massacre]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Douglas County, Washington}}
{{Grant County, Washington}}
{{Okanogan County, Washington}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Douglas County, Washington]]
[[Category:Towns in Grant County, Washington]]
[[Category:Towns in Okanogan County, Washington]]
[[Category:Towns in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Wenatchee–East Wenatchee metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Okanagan Country]]
[[Category:Washington (state) populated places on the Columbia River]]
[[Category:Company towns in Washington (state)]]