Canyon Dam (California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canyon Dam |
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Spillway of Canyon Dam
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 Location of Canyon Dam in California
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Plumas County, near Westwood, California |
| Coordinates | 40°10′24″N 121°05′25″W / 40.17333°N 121.09028°W |
| Opening date | 1927 |
| Owner(s) | PG&E |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Earthfill |
| Impounds | North Fork Feather River |
| Height | 130 ft (40 m) |
| Length | 1,250 ft (380 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Almanor |
| Total capacity | 1,308,000 acre⋅ft (1.613×109 m3) |
| Catchment area | 503 sq mi (1,300 km2) |
| Surface area | 28,160 acres (11,400 ha) |
| Power station | |
| Hydraulic head | 356 ft (109 m) |
| Installed capacity | 41 MW |
| Annual generation | 156,100,000 KWh |
Canyon Dam is a large dam located in northern California. It is also known as Lake Almanor Dam. This dam is built across the North Fork Feather River. It is about 16 miles (26 km) southwest of Westwood.
Canyon Dam creates a big lake called Lake Almanor. This lake is surrounded by the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains. The dam helps store water for different uses.
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History of Canyon Dam
Canyon Dam has been around for a long time. It was first built over a hundred years ago.
Building the Dam
The dam was first started in 1910. It was built by a company called Great Western Power Company. They planned to build it with stone. However, they later decided to build it using earth and rock instead. This type of dam is called an earthfill dam.
The main reason for building the dam was to hold water. This water was for the Western Canal Company. This company used the water for farming in the Central Valley. The dam also sent water to a power plant. This plant made electricity from the water.
Making it Bigger
Over the years, Canyon Dam was made larger. It was changed in 1927 and again in 1962. These changes helped the dam hold even more water. This meant more water could be used when needed.
What Does Canyon Dam Do Today?
Today, Canyon Dam and Lake Almanor are owned by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). They use the dam for important purposes.
Powering Homes
The dam helps supply water to the Butt Valley Powerhouse. This power plant can make 41 megawatts of electricity. A megawatt is a very large amount of power. This electricity helps power homes and businesses.
Supplying Water
Canyon Dam also provides water for other power plants. There are six hydroelectric plants downstream on the North Fork Feather River. The dam makes sure they have enough water. This is especially important during the summer.
Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor is the large reservoir formed by Canyon Dam. It covers a huge area of about 28,160 acres (11,400 hectares). The lake can hold over 1.3 million acre-feet of water. An acre-foot is a way to measure a lot of water. It's like covering one acre of land with one foot of water. The lake is a popular spot for recreation too.
