Diablo Dam

Diablo Dam
Location Washington, United States
Opening date 1930
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Concrete arch-gravity[1]
Impounds Skagit River
Height 389 ft (119 m)[1]
Length 1,180 ft (360 m)[1]
Reservoir
Total capacity 88,500 acre⋅ft (109,200,000 m3)[1]
Catchment area 1,103 sq mi (2,860 km2)[1]
Surface area 990 acres (400 ha)[1]
Commission date 1936
Turbines 2x 64.5 MW[2]
Installed capacity 129 MW[2]
Capacity factor 61%
Annual generation 689,400,000 KWh[3]

Diablo Dam is one of three dams along the upper Skagit River in Whatcom County, Washington and part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project that supplies Seattle with a large proportion of its power needs. The dam was built in Diablo Canyon, a gorge of solid granite with vertical walls rising 160 feet from the river bed, yet were less than 100 feet apart. Construction began in 1927, and was completed in 1930. The dam began generating electricity in 1936.[4]

The result was a power-generating dam that holds a reservoir known as Diablo Lake. At the time it was completed, Diablo Dam, at 389 feet, was the tallest dam in the world.[5] Water from the dam operates two main generators, each with a capacity of 64.5 MW.[2]

The dam was one of the places to help inspire a location in the video game Alan Wake.

Coordinates: 48°42′51″N 121°07′52″W / 48.7143°N 121.1312°W / 48.7143; -121.1312

Climate

Climate data for Diablo Dam, Washington
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 62
(17)		 63
(17)		 76
(24)		 90
(32)		 103
(39)		 101
(38)		 106
(41)		 106
(41)		 101
(38)		 87
(31)		 65
(18)		 59
(15)		 106
(41)
Average high °F (°C) 37.3
(2.9)		 42.6
(5.9)		 48.8
(9.3)		 57.1
(13.9)		 65.3
(18.5)		 70.5
(21.4)		 77.5
(25.3)		 77.6
(25.3)		 70.8
(21.6)		 57.8
(14.3)		 44.8
(7.1)		 38.4
(3.6)		 57.4
(14.1)
Average low °F (°C) 27.3
(−2.6)		 29.6
(−1.3)		 32.4
(0.2)		 36.9
(2.7)		 42.8
(6)		 48.2
(9)		 51.9
(11.1)		 52.5
(11.4)		 47.8
(8.8)		 41.0
(5)		 34.0
(1.1)		 29.8
(−1.2)		 39.5
(4.2)
Record low °F (°C) −8
(−22)		 0
(−18)		 9
(−13)		 24
(−4)		 28
(−2)		 33
(1)		 38
(3)		 37
(3)		 31
(−1)		 18
(−8)		 5
(−15)		 −2
(−19)		 −8
(−22)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 11.47
(291.3)		 8.09
(205.5)		 7.12
(180.8)		 4.59
(116.6)		 2.84
(72.1)		 2.26
(57.4)		 1.41
(35.8)		 1.46
(37.1)		 3.45
(87.6)		 8.05
(204.5)		 11.88
(301.8)		 12.46
(316.5)		 75.08
(1,907)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 21.2
(53.8)		 12.1
(30.7)		 7.0
(17.8)		 0.3
(0.8)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.1
(0.3)		 3.8
(9.7)		 16.1
(40.9)		 60.6
(154)
Source: [6]

Panorama

180° panorama from the top of Diablo Dam, Diablo Lake, Washington as seen on an early September afternoon.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 http://ce-npdp-serv2.stanford.edu/DamDirectory/DamDetail.jsp?npdp_id=WA00170
  2. 1 2 3 "City Light Projects Harness Powerful Skagit River After Long, Hard Struggle" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-09-05.
  3. ↑ http://carma.org/plant/detail/10751
  4. ↑ "Power Generation: Skagit Project - Diablo Dam". City of Seattle. Retrieved 6 January 2011. Includes construction photos.
  5. ↑ "Washington State Tourism Diablo Dam/Lake". Retrieved 2009-09-05.
  6. ↑ "DIABLO DAM, WASHINGTON (452157)". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved June 1, 2016.


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