Your PUD News Release

Warning: Water to be spilled into the Chelan Gorge

Chelan County PUD
News Release
6/4/2008

Due to spring runoff and a current lake elevation of 1,095 feet above sea level, water will be spilled into the Chelan Gorge to manage the level of the lake starting Friday morning, June 6.
 
Steep drops and rugged terrain make the gorge dangerous and people are warned to stay out. Annual water spill increases that danger.

Water could be spilled starting earlier or later than Friday morning depending on the progress of construction in the lower reach of the gorge near the powerhouse at Chelan Falls.
 
Spill through the gates at the Lake Chelan Dam will start at about 500 cubic feet per second, and increase to 2,000 cubic feet per second through the day. Spill of 2,000 cfs is equivalent to about 15,000 gallons of water a second.
 
Cooler weather has slowed melting of the snowpack. The lake level has risen about a half-foot a day for more than a week. Click here for the current lake level.
 
The level of the lake is controlled according to terms of Chelan County PUD’s federal license to operate the Lake Chelan Hydro Project.
 
Based on the forecast of slightly above-average runoff and below-average temperatures, spill is expected to continue into July.

***

For more information contact Scott Buehn, PUD resource engineer, 509-661-4828, scott.buehn@chelanpud.org.
 
Kimberlee Craig
Public Information Officer
Chelan County PUD
(509) 661-4320 office
(509) 679-6858 mobile