Lower Baker Dam
| Lower Baker Dam | |
|---|---|
Lower Baker Dam from downstream | |
Interactive map of Lower Baker Dam | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Skagit County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 48°32′51″N 121°44′28″W / 48.54750°N 121.74111°W |
| Status | In use |
| Opening date | 1925 (Generator 3 Powerhouse) 2013 (Generator 4 Powerhouse) |
| Owner | Puget Sound Energy |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Concrete thick-arch |
| Impounds | Baker River |
| Height | 285 feet (87 m) |
| Length | 550 feet (170 m) |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled overflow |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Shannon |
| Total capacity | 161,470 acre-feet (199,170,000 m3)[1] |
| Catchment area | 250 square miles (650 km2) |
| Surface area | 2,190 acres (890 ha) |
| Lower Baker Powerhouses | |
| Commission date | 1925 (Generator 3 Powerhouse) 2013 (Generator 4 Powerhouse) |
| Type | Conventional |
| Hydraulic head | 280 feet (85 m) |
| Turbines | 1x 80.8 MW, 1x 23.1 MW |
| Installed capacity | 103.9 MW[2] |
| Annual generation | 326.697 GWh[3](2024) |
Lower Baker Dam (or simply Baker Dam) is a dam across the Baker River one mile north of Concrete, Washington. It forms a reservoir called Lake Shannon which stretches 7.5 miles (12.1 km) upstream. The dam is operated by Puget Sound Energy as part of the Baker River Hydroelectric Project.[4]
The dam has a thick arch design, and is 285 feet (87 m) high and 550 feet (170 m) long. It spans the Baker River in a narrow reach known as Eden Canyon, just above the river's confluence with the Skagit River. It is able to hold 161,470 acre-feet (199,170,000 m3) of water, of which 29,426 acre-feet (36,296,000 m3) is reserved for flood control. At full capacity the dam's hydroelectric plant can generate 103.9 megawatts of power. The other dam on this river, Upper Baker Dam, lies about 8 miles (13 km) upstream, and serves a similar purpose to Lower Baker.
Hydroelectric power capacity
| Generator | Nameplate Capacity (MW) |
|---|---|
| 3 | 80.8 |
| 4 | 23.1 |
| Total | 103.9 |
References
- ^ "SKAGIT RIVER BASIN 112193000 LAKE SHANNON AT CONCRETE, WA" (PDF). wa.water.usgs.gov. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
- ^ "January 2026: EIA 860M".
- ^ "2024: EIA-923".
- ^ "3.3 Water Quantity" (PDF). Baker River Project, FERC No. 2150. Puget Sound Energy. March 2002. Retrieved 2011-01-17.