Rocky Reach Dam | |
---|---|
Location | Chelan / Douglas counties, Washington |
Coordinates | 47°32′00″N 120°17′44″W / 47.53333°N 120.29556°W |
Construction began | 1956 (Phase One) 1969 (Phase Two) |
Construction cost | $273.1 million |
Operator(s) | Chelan County Public Utility District |
Dam and spillways | |
Impounds | Columbia River |
Reservoir | |
Creates | Lake Entiat |
Total capacity | 382,000 acre⋅ft (0.471 km3) |
Power Station | |
Turbines | 11 [1] |
Installed capacity | 1299.6 MW [1] |
Rocky Reach Dam is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric dam in the U.S. state of Washington owned and operated by Chelan County Public Utility District. It has 11 generators rated in total 1300 MW. The project is on the Columbia River in north central Washington state about seven miles (11 km) upstream from the city of Wenatchee. The dam is 473 miles (761 km) above the mouth of the Columbia. The reservoir impounded by the dam is Lake Entiat. The project provides energy for more than 7 million people throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Rocky Reach is nationally recognized for efforts to protect the environment.[2] A first-of-its-kind juvenile fish bypass system was completed in 2003 to help young salmon and steelhead on their way to the ocean.[3] A major powerhouse upgrade started in 1995 includes new turbines that are more fish friendly.[4] Improvements to turbines and generators are also designed to improve efficiency and reliability.[2]