There was only an intermittent creek when the Columbia Salish Indians first used this area. During the 1860s, cattle were brought into the area and the land was soon overgrazed. Later sheep were introduced. By the turn of the century, a heavy toll had been taken on the land.
Serious planning to irrigate the Columbia Basin began in 1918 and hinged on the building of the Grand Coulee Dam, which was begun in 1934. In 1941, irrigation water began flowing into Columbia Basin farmlands.
The water table rose as predicted and lakes appeared in former canyons and low spots. All the present refuge lakes are the result, directly or indirectly, of irrigation water.