Oak Grove Hydroelectric Project
Encyclopedia
The Oak Grove Hydroelectric Project is a 44 megawatt hydroelectric plant operated by Portland General Electric
(PGE) on the Oak Grove Fork Clackamas River
. Water for this project is held by three lakes, built between 1923 and 1956. The dam creates the impoundment Lake Harriet
.
, which later became PGE.
In 1923, the concrete diversion dam at Lake Harriet was completed. This lake holds 300 acre.ft with a surface area of 150 acre (0.607029 km²). A 9 feet (2.7 m) pipeline goes downstream from Lake Harriet to the powerhouse. Power generation from the Oak Grove fork began in August 1924.
In 1953, Frog Lake was completed, adding 430 acre.ft of storage with 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) of surface, which was later reduced to 266 acre.ft on 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) in 1997. Finally, in 1956, the compacted-earth dam for Timothy Lake
was completed, creating the largest lake in the system at 1430 acres (5.8 km²) and 69000 acre.ft. The Oak Grove Powerhouse contains two Francis turbine
s.
Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric is an electrical utility based in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. It distributes electricity to customers in parts of Multnomah, Clackamas, Marion, Yamhill, Washington, and Polk counties - half of the inhabitants of Oregon...
(PGE) on the Oak Grove Fork Clackamas River
Oak Grove Fork Clackamas River
Oak Grove Fork Clackamas River is a tributary of the Clackamas River in the U.S. state of Oregon. From its headwaters in the Warm Springs Indian Reservation near Abbot Pass in the Cascade Range, the river flows generally west through Mount Hood National Forest in Clackamas County to the...
. Water for this project is held by three lakes, built between 1923 and 1956. The dam creates the impoundment Lake Harriet
Lake Harriet (Clackamas County, Oregon)
Lake Harriet is a reservoir in Clackamas County of the U.S. state of Oregon.It is an impoundment of the Oak Grove Fork Clackamas River, located southeast of Portland and southwest of Government Camp....
.
History
In 1907, the Southern Pacific Company began to acquire water rights for the Oak Grove fork. These rights were transferred in 1911 to the Portland Railway, Light and Power CompanyPortland Railway, Light and Power Company
The Portland Railway, Light and Power Company was a railway company and electric power utility in Portland, Oregon, United States, from 1906 until 1924....
, which later became PGE.
In 1923, the concrete diversion dam at Lake Harriet was completed. This lake holds 300 acre.ft with a surface area of 150 acre (0.607029 km²). A 9 feet (2.7 m) pipeline goes downstream from Lake Harriet to the powerhouse. Power generation from the Oak Grove fork began in August 1924.
In 1953, Frog Lake was completed, adding 430 acre.ft of storage with 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) of surface, which was later reduced to 266 acre.ft on 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) in 1997. Finally, in 1956, the compacted-earth dam for Timothy Lake
Timothy Lake
Timothy Lake is a lake about southeast of Portland, Oregon, United States. It is in close proximity to Clear Lake and an impoundment of the Oak Grove Fork Clackamas River. The compacted-earth dam was built on Timothy Meadows in 1956 to regulate flow to Lake Harriet and the power plant was...
was completed, creating the largest lake in the system at 1430 acres (5.8 km²) and 69000 acre.ft. The Oak Grove Powerhouse contains two Francis turbine
Francis turbine
The Francis turbine is a type of water turbine that was developed by James B. Francis in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is an inward-flow reaction turbine that combines radial and axial flow concepts....
s.
External links
- USGS flow data at Oak Grove powerplant intake
- DEQ survey
- PGE: parks on the Clackamas River
- BPA: Oak Grove Habitat Improvement Project, 1988