Skookumchuck Dam
| Skookumchuck Dam | |
|---|---|
Aerial view, Skookumchuck Dam | |
Interactive map of Skookumchuck Dam | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Lewis County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 46°46′58.4″N 122°42′43″W / 46.782889°N 122.71194°W |
| Purpose | Reservoir |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1970 |
| Owner | TransAlta |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment |
| Height (foundation) | 190 feet (57.9 m) |
| Length | 1,340 feet (408.4 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Skookumchuck Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 38,800 acre-feet |
| Surface area | 550 acres (220 ha) |
| Maximum length | 8 miles (13 km) |
| Power Station | |
| Installed capacity | 1 megawatt-hour (3.6 GJ) |
Skookumchuck Dam is an earthen dam located on the Skookumchuck River in Washington state, east of Bucoda and Tono. Owned by TransAlta since 2004, the embankment was built in 1970 to supply water for the Centralia Power Plant located in Hanaford Valley.
Various proposals have been introduced to use the dam as a flood-mitigation tool or have the levee removed to improve river flow and the ecosystem. The Centralia Power Plant, also owned by TransAlta, is planned to be decommissioned in 2025, and water rights of the dam are planned to be given to the city of Centralia.