Pelton Dam facts for kids
Pelton Dam is a large dam on the Deschutes River in Jefferson County, Oregon. It is owned and operated by Portland General Electric. This dam is an important part of the Pelton Round Butte Project, which helps create electricity.
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Pelton Dam: Powering Oregon
Pelton Dam is a big concrete arch dam. It was finished in 1958. The dam stands about 204 feet (62 m) tall from its base. It is also very wide, stretching 965 feet (294 m) across the river. The dam creates 110 megawatts of electricity. This is enough power for many thousands of homes.
Building the Dam
The Pelton Dam is built from strong concrete. Its curved shape helps it hold back a lot of water. This type of dam is called an arch dam. It uses the strength of its arch to push the water's force into the canyon walls. This makes it a very strong structure.
Lake Simtustus: A Big Reservoir
Behind Pelton Dam, the Deschutes River forms a deep lake. This lake is called Lake Simtustus. It stretches about 7 miles (11 km) upstream to the Round Butte Dam. The lake covers about 540 acres (220 ha) of land. It holds a large amount of water, about 33,190 acre-feet (40,940,000 m3). The name "Simtustus" honors a native person. This person helped the U.S. Army during a campaign in 1867–68.
Working with the Tribes
About 2.5 miles (4 km) downstream from Pelton Dam, there is another dam. This is called a regulating dam. It helps control the river's flow. The area between these two dams is known as the Pelton Regulating Reservoir.
In 1982, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs added a special turbine to the regulating dam. This turbine helps make even more electricity. Between 2000 and 2005, the Tribes also played a big role. They worked with Portland General Electric and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. They helped make sure the project's license included important agreements. These agreements focused on protecting the environment, cultural sites, and water rights.
