Copco Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Copco Lake |
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 Copco Lake
Location in California
Copco Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Siskiyou County, California |
| Coordinates | 41°58′46″N 122°18′13″W / 41.97944°N 122.30361°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Klamath River, Beaver Creek, Raymond Gulch, Spannaus Gulch, Snackenburg Creek, Milk Creek, Parks Canyon, Indian Creek, |
| Primary outflows | Klamath River |
| Catchment area | 4,300 square miles (11,000 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 3 miles (4.8 km) |
| Max. width | 1,200 yards (1,100 m) |
| Surface area | 1,000 acres (400 ha) |
| Average depth | 77 feet (23 m) |
| Water volume | 77,000 acre-feet (95,000,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 2,605 feet (794 m) |
Copco Lake is a man-made lake located on the Klamath River in Siskiyou County, California. It's close to the border with Oregon in the United States. The lake was created when the Copco Number 1 Dam was built in 1922. The name "COPCO" came from the California Oregon Power Company, which used to own the dam. This company later became part of Pacificorp.
Copco Number 1 and Number 2 Dams are two of four dams on the Klamath River that people have suggested removing. In 2016, California, Oregon, the dam owners, and others agreed to remove all four dams. This plan was delayed in 2020. There has been a social movement called "Un-Dam the Klamath" for over 20 years, aiming to remove these dams.
Copco Number 1 Dam
| Copco Number 1 Dam | |
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Siskiyou County, California |
| Coordinates | 41°58′48″N 122°20′04″W / 41.98000°N 122.33444°W |
| Opening date | 1922 |
| Owner(s) | PacifiCorp |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Gravity |
| Impounds | Klamath River |
| Height | 132 feet (40 m) |
| Length | 415 feet (126 m) |
| Elevation at crest | 2,613 feet (796 m) |
| Width (crest) | 9 feet (2.7 m) |
| Dam volume | 70,312 cubic yards (53,757 m3) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Copco Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 77,000 acre-feet (95,000,000 m3) |
| Catchment area | 4,300 square miles (11,000 km2) |
| Maximum length | 3 miles (4.8 km) |
| Maximum width | 1,200 yards (1,100 m) |
The Copco Number 1 Dam is a type of dam called a gravity dam. It is 415 feet (126 m) long and 132 feet (40 m) high. This dam is owned by a company called PacifiCorp.
Copco Number 2 Dam
The Copco Number 2 Dam is a special kind of dam called a diversion dam. It is located just below Dam No. 1. This dam sends most of the river's water through tunnels and a channel. This water then goes to a power plant about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream. The power plant uses the water to make electricity.
This diversion helps the power plant, but it also means a part of the Klamath River is bypassed. This section used to have fast-moving rapids. The dam must let a small amount of water flow through this bypassed section. This keeps the river from drying out completely there. Dam No. 2 relies on the water released from Copco Lake because it doesn't store much water itself.
Fun Activities at Copco Lake
Copco Lake is a great place for many outdoor activities. You can go kayaking, fishing, swimming, and windsurfing. It's also popular for power boating and sailing. Around the lake, there are places where you can have picnics and go hiking.
