The 11 hydroelectric dams built on the American stretch of the Columbia helped farms and industry, but their construction also permanently altered the character of the river.

[2] "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On" was part of the Columbia River Ballads, a set of twenty-six songs written by Guthrie as part of a commission by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the federal agency created to sell and distribute power from the river's federal hydroelectric facilities (primarily Bonneville Dam and Grand Coulee Dam).

At the time, the agency was facing a controversy because several counties in Washington and Oregon had begun construction of their own dams on the Columbia, outside of the federal jurisdiction.

As part of the effort, Guthrie, who was from Oklahoma and knew little about the Pacific Northwest, was driven all around Washington and Oregon to gain inspiration from the sites of the Columbia and its tributaries.

[5] The Emerald City Supporters, a fan group of the Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC, sing the chorus of "Roll On, Columbia" during home matches at the 12th minute, in honor of the team's first goal in MLS, scored by Colombian forward Fredy Montero in their inaugural match against New York Red Bulls on March 19, 2009.