Dworshak Dam

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Dworshak Dam from the south-southwest, south side of the North Fork of the Clearwater River.

Dworshak Dam, looking east from the west, on the north side of the North Fork of the Clearwater River.

Looking northeast, up the North Fork of the Clearwater River, toward the dam.

Columbia River Basin

Dworshak Dam is a hydroelectric, concrete gravity dam in Clearwater County, Idaho, on the North Fork of the Clearwater River. The dam is located 4 miles (6 km) northwest of the city of Orofino, and 47 miles (76 km) east of Lewiston.

Originally, its name was slated to be "Bruces Eddy," but was changed to honor Henry C. Dworshak, a U.S. Senator from Idaho from 1946-62. The dam is the highest straight-axis concrete dam in the Western Hemisphere and the 22nd highest dam in the world. Only two other dams in the U.S. exceed it in height.

Construction began in June 1966; the main structure was completed in 1972, with the generators coming online in 1973. Electrical generating capacity is 400 megawatts, with an overload capacity of 460 MW. There are two spillway gates. ^[1]

Dworshak Dam is part of the Columbia River Basin system of dams. Dworshak Reservoir is formed behind the dam. The reservoir stretches 53 miles (85 km) upstream. The North Fork of the Clearwater River runs 2 miles (3 km) downstream from the base of the dam, where it joins the main Clearwater, which flows into the Snake River at Lewiston, and into the Columbia at Wallula, Washington.

[edit] Statistics

Amount of concrete used: 6,500,000 cubic yards
Location: 46°30′53″N 116°17′48″W / 46.51472°N 116.29667°W / 46.51472; -116.29667^[2]
Altitude: 1,581 feet (482 m) above sea level
Height: 717 feet (219 m)
Length: 3,287 feet (1,002 m)
Powerhouse
- Two 90 megawatt units
- One 220 megawatt unit