Wells Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wells Dam |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | Chelan / Douglas counties, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°56′43.44″N 119°51′57.6″W / 47.9454000°N 119.866000°W |
| Opening date | August 22, 1967 |
| Operator(s) | Douglas County Public Utility District |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Columbia River |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Pateros |
| Total capacity | 331,200 acre⋅ft (0.4085 km3) |
| Power station | |
| Turbines | 10 |
| Installed capacity | 840 MW |
Wells Dam is a large structure on the Columbia River in Washington state. It's a special kind of dam that uses the power of moving water to create electricity. This process is called hydroelectric power. The dam, along with its buildings and machines, is known as the Wells Hydroelectric Project. The Douglas County Public Utility District owns and operates it.
Contents
Wells Dam: Making Clean Energy
Wells Dam is an important source of clean energy. It started making electricity on August 22, 1967. The dam has a special permit, called an operating license, from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. This license allows it to keep working, and it will be reviewed again in 2052.
How Wells Dam Makes Electricity
The Wells project has ten large machines called generating units. These units work together to produce a lot of power, about 840 megawatts. A megawatt is a huge amount of electricity, enough to power many homes!
The electricity made at Wells Dam helps power homes and businesses in several areas. It provides power to the Douglas County and Okanogan County public utility districts. It also sends electricity to companies like Puget Sound Energy, Portland General Electric, PacifiCorp, and Avista Corporation. Even the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation get power from this dam.
Lake Pateros: The Dam's Reservoir
The water held back by Wells Dam forms a lake called Lake Pateros. This lake is the dam's reservoir. A reservoir is like a big storage tank for water. Even though Lake Pateros isn't very deep, a large amount of water flows through it constantly.
Inside the dam, special machines called Kaplan turbines are used. These turbines are designed to work well with a lot of water moving through them, even if the water isn't falling from a great height. They spin to create the electricity.
Just below Lake Pateros, you can find the Carpenter Island boat launch and a fish hatchery. These areas provide access to the river for boats and help with fish populations.
See also
