Weeks Falls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Weeks Falls |
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Weeks Falls from the base
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| Location | King County, about 7 miles east of North Bend, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°25′59″N 121°38′48″W / 47.43301°N 121.64663°W |
| Type | Cascade |
| Total height | 60ft |
| Number of drops | 1 |
| Average width | 30ft |
| Watercourse | South Fork of the Snoqualmie River |
Weeks Falls is a beautiful waterfall found on the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River. It is located in King County, Washington, not far from the town of North Bend, Washington. You can find it just south of Interstate 90 at exit 38.
This waterfall is easy to visit! A road leads right to it, passing the Olallie State Park ranger headquarters. From a gravel parking lot, there's a paved path that is easy for everyone to use. This path takes you to an overlook where you can see the falls up close. There's also a short, easy trail nearby that is about a quarter-mile long.
How Weeks Falls Works
Weeks Falls is special because it has a small power plant that makes electricity. This plant is called a hydroelectric plant. It uses the power of moving water to create energy. The plant is run by a company called CHI West.
Making Power Without a Dam
Most hydroelectric plants use a large wall, called a dam, to hold back water. But the plant at Weeks Falls is different! It does not need a dam. Instead, it takes water from the river above the waterfall. This water then flows through a special underground tunnel. The tunnel carries the water down to a machine called a generation unit. This unit is located at the bottom of Weeks Falls.
How Much Power Is Made?
The Weeks Falls hydroelectric plant can produce about 4.3 megawatts of electricity at its busiest time. A megawatt is a very large unit of power. To give you an idea, one megawatt can power hundreds of homes! This plant is a great example of how we can use natural resources like water to create clean energy.
