Lake Chelan Dam
Encyclopedia
Lake Chelan Dam officially known as the Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project is located approximately 32 miles (51 km) 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 (89 km) long Lake Chelan
, and is within the limits of the city of Chelan
. The powerhouse
is located near the community of Chelan Falls. The reservoir has 677400 acre.ft of usable water storage. The 10-year average generation for the Project is 365,000 megawatt hours.
has a history of dam development for navigation, power generation, and water supply. In 1894, floodwaters pushed the lake level 11 feet (3 m) above the old (pre-project) high water mark. The future spillway segment of the dam was calculated and built to avoid a recurrence of such flooding. The dam was built to raise the level of Lake Chelan
and completed in 1892. It was constructed to provide water for south Chelan real estate and navigation to the city of Chelan. It washed out during June of that year, only to be replaced by another structure built by the newly formed Chelan Water Power Company in 1893. The larger and stronger dam was designed to raise the lake level enough to allow steamships to land at Chelan. Nevertheless, this structure lasted only a year before washing out in a massive flood in June 1894. In early 1899, M.M. Kingman purchased the Chelan Water Power Company and built another dam, for power generation. The "turning on of lights" was celebrated in Chelan during May 1903. The Chelan Water Power Company was purchased by the Chelan Electric Company in 1906. It was then purchased by Spokane-based Washington Water Power Company in 1925. A year later, Washington Water Power received a 50-year federal license to construct the existing dam and powerhouse. The first generating unit was placed in commercial operation in September 1927, followed by the second unit 11 months later.
The Chelan County Public Utility District purchased the Lake Chelan Hydro Project from Washington Water Power (now Avista Corp.) in July 1955, with the proceeds of a $21 million bond issue. All of the power generated by the Project is available for Chelan County homes and businesses.
connecting the dam and the powerhouse. It delivers water from the dam at the southeasterly end of Lake Chelan to the powerhouse at Chelan Falls, a vertical drop of nearly 400 feet (120 m). This steel and concrete tunnel is approximately 2.2 miles (3.5 km) in length. The only visible portion of the tunnel is a 130 foot (40 m) high surge tank
constructed on the hill above the plant to absorb hydraulic momentum of the water in case of load rejection. The powerhouse is located at Chelan Falls. It is 150 feet (46 m) long, 83 feet (25 m) wide and 130 feet (40 m) high. Besides the two generating units, the powerhouse contains a Control Room, shop facilities, switching equipment, crane, and communications equipment. Water traveling down the power tunnel is directed against two turbines rated at 24 megawatts each. The turbines rotate at 300 revolutions per minute. The original turbines were replaced in 1985 and 1986. The turbines are connected to the generators by steel shafts. They provide a combined peaking capability of 58 megawatts. The original generators were rewound in 1951 and 1952. After passing around and through the turbine blades, water is discharged into the tailrace located on the east side of the powerhouse where it flows into the Columbia River
.
Wenatchee, Washington
Wenatchee is located in North Central Washington and is the largest city and county seat of Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population within the city limits in 2010 was 31,925...
in Chelan County, near the geographic center of Washington 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...
. The dam is located at the lower or southeasterly end of 55 miles (89 km) long Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...
, and is within the limits of the city of Chelan
Chelan, 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....
. The powerhouse
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
is located near the community of Chelan Falls. The reservoir has 677400 acre.ft of usable water storage. The 10-year average generation for the Project is 365,000 megawatt hours.
History
The Chelan RiverChelan River
The Chelan River is a tributary of the Columbia River, in the U.S. state of Washington. Just 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, ...
has a history of dam development for navigation, power generation, and water supply. In 1894, floodwaters pushed the lake level 11 feet (3 m) above the old (pre-project) high water mark. The future spillway segment of the dam was calculated and built to avoid a recurrence of such flooding. The dam was built to raise the level of Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...
and completed in 1892. It was constructed to provide water for south Chelan real estate and navigation to the city of Chelan. It washed out during June of that year, only to be replaced by another structure built by the newly formed Chelan Water Power Company in 1893. The larger and stronger dam was designed to raise the lake level enough to allow steamships to land at Chelan. Nevertheless, this structure lasted only a year before washing out in a massive flood in June 1894. In early 1899, M.M. Kingman purchased the Chelan Water Power Company and built another dam, for power generation. The "turning on of lights" was celebrated in Chelan during May 1903. The Chelan Water Power Company was purchased by the Chelan Electric Company in 1906. It was then purchased by Spokane-based Washington Water Power Company in 1925. A year later, Washington Water Power received a 50-year federal license to construct the existing dam and powerhouse. The first generating unit was placed in commercial operation in September 1927, followed by the second unit 11 months later.
The Chelan County Public Utility District purchased the Lake Chelan Hydro Project from Washington Water Power (now Avista Corp.) in July 1955, with the proceeds of a $21 million bond issue. All of the power generated by the Project is available for Chelan County homes and businesses.
Description
The dam is a steel-reinforced concrete gravity structure. It is 40 feet (12 m) high and 490 feet (150 m) long. It contains eight spillway bays. When the spillway gates are open, water is discharged down the normally dry Chelan River channel. Water to power the turbine generators is delivered through an underground penstockPenstock
A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydraulic turbines and sewerage systems. It is a term that has been inherited from the technology of wooden watermills....
connecting the dam and the powerhouse. It delivers water from the dam at the southeasterly end of Lake Chelan to the powerhouse at Chelan Falls, a vertical drop of nearly 400 feet (120 m). This steel and concrete tunnel is approximately 2.2 miles (3.5 km) in length. The only visible portion of the tunnel is a 130 foot (40 m) high surge tank
Surge tank
A surge tank is a standpipe or storage reservoir at the downstream end of a closed aqueduct or feeder pipe to absorb sudden rises of pressure as well as to quickly provide extra water during a brief drop in pressure...
constructed on the hill above the plant to absorb hydraulic momentum of the water in case of load rejection. The powerhouse is located at Chelan Falls. It is 150 feet (46 m) long, 83 feet (25 m) wide and 130 feet (40 m) high. Besides the two generating units, the powerhouse contains a Control Room, shop facilities, switching equipment, crane, and communications equipment. Water traveling down the power tunnel is directed against two turbines rated at 24 megawatts each. The turbines rotate at 300 revolutions per minute. The original turbines were replaced in 1985 and 1986. The turbines are connected to the generators by steel shafts. They provide a combined peaking capability of 58 megawatts. The original generators were rewound in 1951 and 1952. After passing around and through the turbine blades, water is discharged into the tailrace located on the east side of the powerhouse where it flows into 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...
.
See also
- Chelan County Public Utility DistrictChelan County Public Utility DistrictThe Chelan County Public Utility District, or Chelan County PUD, provides electric, water, and wastewater public utility services in Chelan County, in north-central Washington, USA....
- Chelan County, Washington
- Lake ChelanLake ChelanLake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...
- Chelan, WashingtonChelan, WashingtonChelan 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....
- Rocky Reach DamRocky Reach DamRocky 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...
- Rock Island DamRock Island DamRock Island Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Chelan County Public Utility District's Rock Island Dam and Hydro Project was the first dam to span the Columbia, having been built from 1929 to 1933. It is located near the geographical center of...
External links
- Lake Chelan Hydro Project Dam owner: Chelan County Public Utility District