Flood Control Act of 1950

The Flood Control Act of 1950 was a law passed by the United States Congress authorizing flood control projects in Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

The Act was prompted in part by floods that swept through the Columbia River watershed in 1948, destroying Vanport, then the second largest city in Oregon, and impacting cities as far north as Trail, British Columbia. By that time, local communities had become wary of federal hydroelectric projects, and sought local control of new developments; a Public Utility District in Grant County, Washington ultimately began construction of the dam at Priest Rapids.