Nearly a century ago, major change came to the wild, free-flowing, undeveloped Skagit River: the industrial revolution. In 1918, Seattle City Light began construction on three massive dams in the middle of the river, in Whatcom County, for hydropower. The utility built Gorge Dam first near Newhalem. Above that, Diablo Dam came next, followed by Ross Dam, completed in 1949. All three dams are located in what is now designated within the North Cascades National Park.