River Conditions

Yes, river levels will have more variation in the future as dam operators move to new tools and protocols to better manage a range of river conditions. River levels are increasingly impacted by operations at dams upstream from PUD facilities, energy usage by local customers and energy purchases by wholesale power customers. In addition, with more renewable energy sources in the region (solar and wind), hydropower is often called upon to increase generation when these sources are unavailable, which also impacts river levels.

Chelan PUD balances a range of needs and interests as it operates its hydropower projects, including fish protections, water quality, power generation, recreation, renewable portfolio standards and new carbon markets – all while also ensuring safe and reliable operations.

River conditions can change quickly. Keep your eyes out when you’re on the water. We encourage boaters pulling up on a shoreline or on a sandbar to monitor conditions regularly – every 20 to 30 minutes. We also have useful tools for boaters, including a webpage that shows current and projected river levels. We also are developing a mobile app with similar features. When you’re boating also remember to keep your eyes out for logs and other debris. Stay at least 400 feet away from dams on the river. The PUD will not modify its hydropower operations to re-float a stranded boat. Boaters need to monitor changing conditions. If there’s an emergency on the river, boaters should call 911.

The largest factor in river levels is the amount of water discharged from upstream storage/generating hydroelectric projects.  May and June are historically the highest flow months due to snowmelt and runoff.  Another factor is the level of the water directly above the dam.  The range that the PUD maintains the level directly above the dam is limited by its federal license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  In addition, Chelan PUD’s projects have very limited storage capacity.

Local customers’ energy usage also impacts river levels.  Wholesale energy sales do impact river levels, but these sales are only one factor. The sales into the wholesale market help subsidize local customers’ rates to keep them low. In fact, Chelan PUD has some of the lowest energy rates in the U.S. It’s about balancing the needs of energy sales, along with fish protection and recreation.

They can, but it’s not common. At Rocky Reach, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can direct the PUD to store water above Rocky Reach to an elevation of 710 feet (directly above dam) for downstream flood control during extreme high flows. This is three feet higher than its upper limit under its federal license. However, the last time the Army Corps directed the PUD to fill the reservoir to a higher level (above 707 feet) was in the 1970s.