Thursday, September 4, 2014

The Skagit River power system


My younger brother loves anything to do with electricity or power companies, actually my older brother and our son are also both into electrical current.


The Gorge Power house has produced electricity for Seattle City Light since 1924 and was the first of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Projects. The Gorge Dam itself is 2 miles upstream and the water from the lake runs thru a 20 foot diameter tunnel drilled through solid rock. We saw many salmon under the bridge, they pretty much are at the end of any spawning environment at the power house.


Behind me is the Gorge Dam, Seattle City Light broke ground in 1921 and it was put into operation about 1924. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKDNGpzf5QE

Here is a video I took of the mighty Skagit River just down stream from the dam. I use "youtube" because I am limited to a certain size video on the google blog.


In case you can't view the video above, here is a look at the river "bed" of the Skagit River just downstream from the dam. Even I might get lucky catching salmon in a situation like this. (waders not required)


Just about 8 miles upstream from the Gorge Dam is Diablo. Diablo is a company town, (like Newhalem) a lake and a dam, all with the same name.


Diablo Dam is unusual in the fact that it not a typical U shaped dam but more of an S shape...first one of its kind that I have found.


The houses in town of Diablo and Newhalem were, and still are...company owned towns run by the Seattle City Light power company. All were cookie cutter houses in a very typical company style but if they had been for sale, (they weren't) I would of grab one if possible.


As you might expect in a company town there was a community hall, post office and other essential community services.


One of the signs directed me to a "tram" in town and when I got there, I see a cog rail going up the side of a cliff. I have no idea where it goes or why because I never saw another soul in Diablo...but then again with a name like Diablo you wouldn't see souls, right?


This is a recreation of the Davis power plant from the early 1900''s. It's said that the wheel is the original.


The generating plant at Diablo, down river from the dam.


Between the power building and the transformer yard (if that's what it is called) was a metal grate that you were required to drive over.


Wires that looked like they should of been screwed to the metal post, were not...kind of scared me.


When I see this I can only think of my younger brother Joe, it's what he teach about, thinks about and fixes...about.


The hard to read sign reads 'When light flashes Hwy 20 is closed for travel to Newhalem" which is disturbing in the fact that Newhalem is 10 miles down Hwy 20 and nothing but uphill would be an escape plan and uphill goes nowhere in the winter...it's closed.


Ross Dam, originally named Ruby Dam, is the furthest upstream dam on the Skagit River. I purposely left out megawatts, kilowatts and all the other electrical jargon manly because while I could copy it, it would not of meant anything to me. 


The totem in Newhalem represents family, culture or other virtues in the canyon.


All that power generated from the three upstream powerhouses travel to Seattle in these tall transmission lines.

Till next time...peace.







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