Chelan River
Encyclopedia
The Chelan River is a tributary
of the Columbia River
, in the U.S. state
of Washington. Just 4.1 miles (6.6 km) long, it is the shortest river in Washington. Lake Chelan Dam
is located at the river's source: the outlet of Lake Chelan. Nearly the entire river's flow is diverted to the Lake Chelan Powerhouse, 3.9 miles (6.3 km) downstream near the river's mouth. Thus the Chelan River is almost always dry. Statistics on the streamflow are taken at the tailrace of the powerhouse, measuring the water that would flow through the river were it not diverted, although not including small tributaries, including Daybreak Canyon, that join the Chelan riverbed from the Lake Chelan Dam to the canal outlet.
at the southern end of the lake. Lake Chelan Dam, also in the city of Chelan, blocks the river. The dry riverbed runs 3.9 miles (6.3 km) through a steep and rocky gorge, dropping 401 feet (122.2 m) before reaching the Columbia River near the community of Chelan Falls. Only the first short section of the river between Lake Chelan and Lake Chelan Dam is filled with water. The rest is called the "bypassed reach".
The Lake Chelan Powerhouse is located adjacent to the river's former mouth. Diverted water is dropped through hydroelectric turbines and released into the Columbia River at Columbia river mile
503.3 (810 km). The tailrace is essentially an arm of the Columbia River with no gradient due to the impoundment of the Columbia by Rocky Reach Dam
.
The river's water is diverted through a 2.2 miles (3.5 km) long power tunnel, which ends with a 401 feet (122.2 m) drop through turbines at the powerhouse.
Most of the Chelan River's "bypassed reach" is owned by Chelan County PUD No. 1, the utility which also owns and operates Lake Chelan Dam.
In 2009 a different release pattern from the Lake Chelan Dam has allowed the riverbed to hold water again.
fish were not able to migrate up the river to Lake Chelan even before the dam was built. The lake and the river's upper reach supports various non-anadromous fish species. Columbia River fish have been found in the powerhouse's tailrace.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. Just 4.1 miles (6.6 km) long, it is the shortest river in Washington. Lake Chelan Dam
Lake Chelan Dam
Lake Chelan Dam officially known as the Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project is located approximately 32 miles north of the city of Wenatchee in Chelan County, near the geographic center of Washington state. The dam is located at the lower or southeasterly end of 55 miles long Lake Chelan, and is...
is located at the river's source: the outlet of Lake Chelan. Nearly the entire river's flow is diverted to the Lake Chelan Powerhouse, 3.9 miles (6.3 km) downstream near the river's mouth. Thus the Chelan River is almost always dry. Statistics on the streamflow are taken at the tailrace of the powerhouse, measuring the water that would flow through the river were it not diverted, although not including small tributaries, including Daybreak Canyon, that join the Chelan riverbed from the Lake Chelan Dam to the canal outlet.
Course
The Chelan River originates at the outlet of Lake Chelan, in the city of ChelanChelan, Washington
Chelan is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,890 at the 2010 census. It sits on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River....
at the southern end of the lake. Lake Chelan Dam, also in the city of Chelan, blocks the river. The dry riverbed runs 3.9 miles (6.3 km) through a steep and rocky gorge, dropping 401 feet (122.2 m) before reaching the Columbia River near the community of Chelan Falls. Only the first short section of the river between Lake Chelan and Lake Chelan Dam is filled with water. The rest is called the "bypassed reach".
The Lake Chelan Powerhouse is located adjacent to the river's former mouth. Diverted water is dropped through hydroelectric turbines and released into the Columbia River at Columbia river mile
River mile
In the United States, a River mile is a measure of distance in miles along a river from its mouth. River mile numbers begin at zero and increase further upstream. The corresponding metric unit using kilometers is the River kilometer...
503.3 (810 km). The tailrace is essentially an arm of the Columbia River with no gradient due to the impoundment of the Columbia by Rocky Reach Dam
Rocky Reach Dam
Rocky Reach Dam is a hydroelectric dam in the U.S. state of Washington. Chelan County Public Utility District's Rocky Reach Dam and Hydro Project is located in north central Washington state, USA on the Columbia River, about seven miles upstream from the city of Wenatchee...
.
River modifications
Although Lake Chelan is a natural lake its water level and discharge via the Chelan River has been controlled by Lake Chelan Dam since construction was completed in 1927. Due to the dam, the river is nearly always dry, although sometimes water is spilled over the dam, temporarily recreating a small streamflow in the old Chelan River. The river's water is used not only for hydroelectric power but also irrigation and drinking water. In addition, during the summer the water level of Lake Chelan is maintained at a relatively high elevation for scenic and recreational purposes. Normally water flow in the dry bypassed reach occurs in spring and early summer, when snow melt raises Lake Chelan to levels requiring spill for flood control.The river's water is diverted through a 2.2 miles (3.5 km) long power tunnel, which ends with a 401 feet (122.2 m) drop through turbines at the powerhouse.
Most of the Chelan River's "bypassed reach" is owned by Chelan County PUD No. 1, the utility which also owns and operates Lake Chelan Dam.
In 2009 a different release pattern from the Lake Chelan Dam has allowed the riverbed to hold water again.
Natural history
Due to the steepness of the Chelan River canyon, anadromousFish migration
Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousands of kilometres...
fish were not able to migrate up the river to Lake Chelan even before the dam was built. The lake and the river's upper reach supports various non-anadromous fish species. Columbia River fish have been found in the powerhouse's tailrace.