Directly authorized by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1905, Little Falls lies approximately 30 miles upstream of the Spokane River's confluence with the Columbia River (Lake Roosevelt). Completed in 1910, the project increased Avista's generating capacity at that time by more than 50 percent. Designed and constructed entirely by the company's own engineering department, more than 18 million pounds of cement were used to construct the dam. Featuring ornate brass fixtures and marble control panels in the powerhouse, project construction costs still totaled less than $1.6 million. The plant's four, 750-ton turbines (each capable of 9,000 horsepower) were the largest in the world at the time of their initial operation!

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Little Falls is situated in a remote setting with minimal residential development. Excellent views of the Little Falls spillway can be obtained from two bridges just south of the dam. Bald eagles and osprey can be seen along the five mile stretch of river between Little Falls and Avista's Long Lake development.