Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
Encyclopedia
The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project is a series of dam
s with hydroelectric
power-generating stations on the Skagit River
in northern Washington State. The project is owned and operated by Seattle City Light
to provide electric power for the City of Seattle
and surrounding communities. The dams provide approximately 25 percent of the electric power for Seattle.
The three major dams in the Skagit River Project are (from lower to upper) Gorge Dam, Diablo Dam
, and Ross Dam
. The dams are located in Whatcom County
above the town of Newhalem
, which lies just west of North Cascades National Park
. Ross Lake
, formed by Ross Dam extends into British Columbia
, which is 20 miles upriver from the dam. Ross Lake National Recreation Area
surrounds the lake.
Construction of Gorge Dam 48°41′52"N 121°12′30"W began in 1921 and the first power was delivered to Seattle in 1924. The cost of the dam was $13 million ($153,339,181 in 2006 dollars). This dam was featured in Alan Pakula's 1974 thriller The Parallax View
, starring Warren Beatty.
Construction of Diablo Dam
48°42′51"N 121°07′52"W was begun in 1927, five miles upstream from Gorge Dam. Diablo Dam was completed in 1930, and at that time was the tallest dam in the world at 389 feet (119 meters) until Owyhee Dam
was built. However, the dam produced no electricity for Seattle until 1936.
Construction of Ruby Dam 48°43′54"N 121°04′02"W at the Rip Raps below Ruby Creek began in 1937. This dam was renamed Ross Dam
after the death of James Delmage Ross (1872–1939), the superintendent of the Skagit River Project. Construction of Ross Dam was to take place in three stages and the first stage was completed in 1940. The second and third stages were completed in 1953 when the dam was built to its final height of 540 feet (165 meters).
In 1961 a new Gorge High Dam was completed (300 feet, 91 meters) to replace the original Gorge Dam.
All three dams were listed in the National Register of Historic Places
.
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s with hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
power-generating stations on the Skagit River
Skagit River
The Skagit River is a river in southwestern British Columbia in Canada and northwestern Washington in the United States, approximately 150 mi long...
in northern Washington State. The project is owned and operated by Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light is the public utility providing electrical power to Seattle, Washington and parts of its metropolitan area, including all of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park and parts of unincorporated King County, Burien, Normandy Park, Seatac, Renton, and Tukwila...
to provide electric power for the City of Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and surrounding communities. The dams provide approximately 25 percent of the electric power for Seattle.
The three major dams in the Skagit River Project are (from lower to upper) Gorge Dam, Diablo Dam
Diablo Dam
Diablo Dam is one of three dams along the upper Skagit River in Whatcom County, Washington and part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project that supplies Seattle with a large proportion of its power needs. Work was begun in 1917 on a six-mile tunnel through Diablo Canyon and subsequent...
, and Ross Dam
Ross Dam
Ross Dam is a -high, -long concrete thin-arch dam across the Skagit River, forming Ross Lake. The dam is in Washington State, while Ross Lake extends north into British Columbia, Canada...
. The dams are located in Whatcom County
Whatcom County, Washington
Whatcom County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. Its name ultimately derives from the Lummi word Xwotʼqom, meaning "noisy water." As of 2010, the population was 201,140. The county seat is at Bellingham, which is also the county's largest city...
above the town of Newhalem
Newhalem, Washington
Newhalem is a small, unincorporated community in northwestern Washington, USA, located in the western foothills of the North Cascades along the Skagit River. It is located within Whatcom County....
, which lies just west of North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the state of Washington. The park is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Several national wilderness areas and British Columbia parkland adjoin the...
. Ross Lake
Ross Lake
Ross Lake is a large reservoir in the North Cascade mountains of northern Washington state, USA, and southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The lake runs approximately north-south, is 23 miles long, up to 1.5 miles wide, and the full reservoir elevation is 1,604 feet above sea level .The U.S...
, formed by Ross Dam extends into British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, which is 20 miles upriver from the dam. Ross Lake National Recreation Area
Ross Lake National Recreation Area
Ross Lake National Recreation Area is a US National Recreation Area located in north central Washington just south of the Canadian border. It is the most accessible part of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex which also includes North Cascades National Park and Lake Chelan National...
surrounds the lake.
Construction of Gorge Dam 48°41′52"N 121°12′30"W began in 1921 and the first power was delivered to Seattle in 1924. The cost of the dam was $13 million ($153,339,181 in 2006 dollars). This dam was featured in Alan Pakula's 1974 thriller The Parallax View
The Parallax View
The Parallax View is a 1974 American thriller film directed by Alan J. Pakula and starring Warren Beatty, Paula Prentiss, Hume Cronyn and William Daniels. The film was adapted by David Giler, Lorenzo Semple Jr and an uncredited Robert Towne from the 1970 novel by Loren Singer...
, starring Warren Beatty.
Construction of Diablo Dam
Diablo Dam
Diablo Dam is one of three dams along the upper Skagit River in Whatcom County, Washington and part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project that supplies Seattle with a large proportion of its power needs. Work was begun in 1917 on a six-mile tunnel through Diablo Canyon and subsequent...
48°42′51"N 121°07′52"W was begun in 1927, five miles upstream from Gorge Dam. Diablo Dam was completed in 1930, and at that time was the tallest dam in the world at 389 feet (119 meters) until Owyhee Dam
Owyhee Dam
Owyhee Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam on the Owyhee River in Eastern Oregon near Adrian, Oregon, United States. Completed in 1932 during the Great Depression, the dam generates electricity and provides irrigation water for several irrigation districts in Oregon and neighboring Idaho...
was built. However, the dam produced no electricity for Seattle until 1936.
Construction of Ruby Dam 48°43′54"N 121°04′02"W at the Rip Raps below Ruby Creek began in 1937. This dam was renamed Ross Dam
Ross Dam
Ross Dam is a -high, -long concrete thin-arch dam across the Skagit River, forming Ross Lake. The dam is in Washington State, while Ross Lake extends north into British Columbia, Canada...
after the death of James Delmage Ross (1872–1939), the superintendent of the Skagit River Project. Construction of Ross Dam was to take place in three stages and the first stage was completed in 1940. The second and third stages were completed in 1953 when the dam was built to its final height of 540 feet (165 meters).
In 1961 a new Gorge High Dam was completed (300 feet, 91 meters) to replace the original Gorge Dam.
All three dams were listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Hydroelectric Power Production
| Dam | Power (MW) |
|---|---|
| Gorge | 199.2 |
| Diablo | 159.3 |
| Ross | 352.6 |
| Total | 711.1 |
Sources
- Historylink.org
- Seattle City Light Skagit Tours
- Larry Kunzler Historical Record of Dam Building and their Impacts on Floods of the Skagit River: 1924 through 1968
- Guide to the Seattle City Light Gorge Development Project Photographs and Photograph Albums 1948-1962
- Guide to the Seattle City Light Skagit Project: Diablo Dam Construction Photograph Albums 1919-1936
- Guide to the Seattle City Light Ross Dam Photograph Albums 1938-1948
- Guide to the Seattle City Light Skagit Youth Camp Records 1991-1996
- Nearby construction era photo, as the Ross Dam was being completed in 1956
- Tour boat on the lake formed by the Diablo Dam, during the construction era
- Construction photo of what became Ross Dam
External links
- Photosynth view from the Ross Dam wall (requires Photosynth)