| Culmback Dam | |
|---|---|
 The reservoir, Spada Lake, seen from the air, with the dam on the left end of the lake | |
| Location | Snohomish County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°58′31″N 121°41′11″W / 47.9753°N 121.6865°W |
| Construction began | 1960 |
| Opening date | 1965 |
| Operator(s) | Snohomish County PUD City of Everett |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Sultan River |
| Height | 262 ft (80 m) |
| Length | 640 ft (200 m) |
| Elevation at crest | 1,450 ft (440 m)[1] |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Spada Lake |
| Total capacity | 165,774 acre⋅ft (204,479,000 m3) |
| Catchment area | 84 sq mi (220 km2) |
| Surface area | 1,870 acres (760 ha)[2] |
| Power Station | |
| Commission date | 1983 |
| Hydraulic head | 1,165 ft (355 m) |
| Turbines | 2x 47.5 MW Pelton 2x 8.4 MW Francis |
| Installed capacity | 112 MW |
| Annual generation | 418 million KWh |
The Culmback Dam (also known as the George Culmback Dam or the Snoqualmie National Forest Dam)[3] is a large rockfill hydroelectric and water supply dam on the Sultan River, a tributary of the Skykomish River, in Washington. Built in 1965,[4] the dam is 640 feet (200 m) long at the crest and 262 feet (80 m) high. Its reservoir, Spada Lake, provides water for 70 to 75 percent of Snohomish County and feeds the Jackson Hydro Project, providing 112 megawatts of clean energy to Snohomish county. Some critics charge that the dam has strongly impacted the runs of salmon and other migratory fish in the Sultan River by depleting gravel and sediment needed to line the riverbed.[5] The dam's operator counters that Culmback Dam dramatically reduces flooding events, benefiting fish populations and the surrounding communities. The dam was named in honor of George Culmback, a former mayor of Everett.[4] Spada Lake is a reference to the character Count Spada in The Count of Monte-Cristo.
The Dam is co-owned by the Snohomish County PUD and the City of Everett and is operated by the PUD. Water from Spada Lake is diverted through a pipeline to a powerhouse further downstream on the Sultan River. From the powerhouse, some water is returned to the river, and some is diverted to Lake Chaplain, where the water enters the Everett water supply system.[6][7]
- ^ "Everett Water System-Culmback Dam". Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
- ^ "Jackson Hydro Project-History". Archived from the original on November 21, 2007. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
- ^ "Culmback Dam". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
- ^ a b "Everett, Washington Water Supply- Culmback Dam". Archived from the original on 2007-10-31. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
- ^ "Foundation for Water and Energy-Testing the waters". Archived from the original on 2008-06-03. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
- ^ "Snohomish County PUD- Jackson Hydro Project". Retrieved 2009-02-12.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "City of Everett Water Supply". Archived from the original on 2011-10-06. Retrieved 2009-02-20.