Dworshak Small Hydropower Plant

Dworshak Small Hydropower Plant Overview

The Idaho Water Resource Board (Board) is a state agency tasked with supporting the sustainable use and management of the state’s water and related resources. In addition to water resource planning, the Board can also construct and operate water projects and generate, sell, and distribute hydroelectric power. The Dworshak Small Hydropower Plant is owned by the Board and revenue from the facility is used to support the Board’s water projects loan program, which assists with the development of water resources of the state through construction, rehabilitation, improvement, or extension of existing systems. The facility generates an average annual revenue of $1.3 million.

Commissioned into service in June of 2000, the Dworshak Small Hydropower Plant is located in Clearwater County near the small community of Ahsahka. The facility is located approximately one mile downstream of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Dworshak Dam – the third tallest dam in the US. Water is delivered via 36 and 18-inch penstocks (pipes specifically designed to carry high-pressure water) that extend downstream from the dam. The penstocks were originally constructed to deliver water to the Clearwater Fish Hatchery, which controls water flows from the dam, and the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery.

The facility’s total power generating capacity is 2.9 MW, which accounts for both a 2.5 MW primary unit and a 0.4 MW secondary unit. The power is sold to the Bonneville Power Administration while Clearwater Power Company wheels the power from the facility to the Bonneville Power Administration’s grid. Operation and maintenance of the facility is performed by a private contractor hired by the Board. All operations are coordinated with both fish hatcheries and other regulatory agencies.

The facility is now roughly halfway through its designed 50-year lifespan. Over the next few years, the Board will be working to conduct a condition assessment, overhaul the operations and maintenance procedures, and create a roadmap for future preventative maintenance. This defines the framework necessary to continue efficient operations and maximize energy output over the remainder of the project’s lifespan.

Website Links:

Clearwater Fish Hatchery

https://idfg.idaho.gov/visit/hatchery/clearwater

Dworshak National Fish Hatchery

https://www.fws.gov/fish-hatchery/dworshak

Dworshak Dam and Reservoir

https://www.nww.usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Locks-and-Dams/Dworshak-Dam-and-Reservoir/