Lake Chelan: Chelan River, WA

The Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project is located adjacent to the city of Chelan in Chelan County, Washington. The project is near the geographic center of the state. The dam is located at the southeasterly end of Lake Chelan. The powerhouse is located near the community of Chelan Falls.

Construction of the dam and the powerhouse began in 1926; both of the project’s generating units were operational in 1928.

The dam and powerhouse are linked by a 2.2 mile long underground power tunnel. The steel and concrete tunnel has a total vertical drop of nearly 400 feet. From the dam on Lake Chelan, water travels through the power tunnel to the powerhouse and drives two Francis turbines. Water is then discharged through the tailrace into the Columbia River.

Lake Chelan, the project reservoir, is 55-miles long. The pristine, clear lake offers numerous recreation opportunities. Chelan County PUD has constructed several parks along the reservoir shoreline for public use.