Revelstoke Dam

Revelstoke Dam
Location within British Columbia
Location Revelstoke, Canada
Coordinates 51°02′58″N 118°11′38″W / 51.04944°N 118.19389°W / 51.04944; -118.19389Coordinates: 51°02′58″N 118°11′38″W / 51.04944°N 118.19389°W / 51.04944; -118.19389
Opening date 1984
Dam and spillways
Impounds Columbia River
Height 175 m (574 ft)
Reservoir
Creates Lake Revelstoke
Total capacity 1.5183 km3 (1,230,900 acre·ft)
Surface area 11,534 ha (28,501 acres) or 115 km2 (44 sq mi)
Power station
Operator(s) BC Hydro
Turbines 5
Installed capacity 2,480 MW (current capacity)
2,980 MW (planned max, after installation of 6th turbine)
Annual generation

6,361 GWh (2009, 4 turbines)[1]

7,817 GWh (2013, 5 turbines) [2]

The Revelstoke Dam, also known as Revelstoke Canyon Dam, is a hydroelectric dam spanning the Columbia River, 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. The powerhouse was completed in 1984 and has an installed capacity of 2480 MW.[3] Four generating units were installed initially, with one additional unit (#5) having come online in 2011. The reservoir behind the dam is named Lake Revelstoke.[4] The dam is operated by BC Hydro.

Areas inundated

Areas inundated by the dam include the Dalles des Morts or "Death Rapids", which was the stretch of canyon just above the dam's location, and various small localities along the pre-inundation route of the Big Bend Highway, which was the original route of the Trans-Canada Highway until the building of its Rogers Pass section. Just below the dam was the location of La Porte, one of the boomtowns of the Big Bend Gold Rush and the head of river navigation via the Arrow Lakes and Columbia River from Marcus, Washington.

Revelstoke Dam Visitor Centre

The Revelstoke Dam Visitor Centre is located 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Revelstoke and is open seasonally. The centre features interactive exhibits, activities about the dam and hydroelectricity and a First Nations gallery opened in 2009, with exhibits about the art, history and culture of the Secwepemc (Shuswap), Okanagan and Ktunaxa peoples. Sinixt are not included in the exhibit, but also consider the Revelstoke Dam to fall within their territory. [5] There is also a theatre, gift shop, and outdoor walkway across the top of the Powerhouse.

Expansion

BC Hydro recently added a fifth generating unit. The unit went online in 2011 and added 500 MW capacity, bringing the total generating capacity of the dam to around 2480 MW.[6][7]

Shipping label of new generating unit at the dam.

See also

Pacific Northwest River System

References

  1. ↑ http://carma.org/plant/detail/37149
  2. ↑ https://www.bchydro.com/content/dam/BCHydro/customer-portal/documents/projects/revelstoke-unit-6/revelstoke-generating-station-unit-6-project-fact-sheet.pdf
  3. ↑ BC Hydro (June 2010), Quick Facts for the Year Ended March 31, 2010 (PDF), retrieved 2010-08-24
  4. ↑ "Lake Revelstoke". BC Geographical Names.
  5. ↑ http://www.sinixtnation.org/content/sinixt-territory
  6. ↑ Revelstoke Dam Visitor Centre website
  7. ↑ BC Hydro Planning webpage, Revelstoke Unit 5
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