Dam in Whatcom County, Washington
| Upper Baker Dam |
|---|
 |
| Country | United States |
|---|
| Location | Whatcom County, Washington |
|---|
| Coordinates | 48°38′56″N 121°41′27″W / 48.64889°N 121.69083°W / 48.64889; -121.69083 |
|---|
| Status | In use |
|---|
| Opening date | 1959 |
|---|
| Owner(s) | Puget Sound Energy |
|---|
|
| Type of dam | Concrete gravity |
|---|
| Impounds | Baker River |
|---|
| Height | 312 feet (95 m) |
|---|
| Length | 1,200 feet (370 m) |
|---|
| Spillways | 3 |
|---|
| Spillway type | Gate-controlled, service |
|---|
| Spillway capacity | 90,000 cubic feet per second (2,500 m3/s) |
|---|
|
| Creates | Baker Lake |
|---|
| Total capacity | 285,000 acre-feet (352,000,000 m3) |
|---|
| Catchment area | 215 square miles (560 km2) |
|---|
| Surface area | 4,800 acres (19 km2) |
|---|
|
| Installed capacity | 91 MW |
|---|
| Annual generation | 337,350,000 KWh[1] |
|---|
Upper Baker Dam is a dam spanning the Baker River in northern Washington in the United States of America. It is one of two dams on the river, the other one being the Lower Baker Dam a few miles downstream. The dam is used to generate hydroelectricity and provide flood control.[2]
Construction of the dam was finished in 1959 by Puget Sound Energy as part of a power generating scheme, the Baker River Hydroelectric Project. The dam is a concrete gravity structure 312 feet (95 m) high and 1,200 feet (370 m) long, and is capable of producing 91 MW. Its reservoir stretches 9 miles (14 km) upstream and contains 285,000 acre-feet (352,000,000 m3) of water.[3]
Climate
Upper Baker Dam has a mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb).
| Climate data for Upper Baker Dam (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1965–present)
|
| Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
| Record high °F (°C)
|
57
(14)
|
68
(20)
|
76
(24)
|
92
(33)
|
102
(39)
|
110
(43)
|
101
(38)
|
98
(37)
|
100
(38)
|
84
(29)
|
66
(19)
|
60
(16)
|
110
(43)
|
| Mean maximum °F (°C)
|
46.6
(8.1)
|
53.2
(11.8)
|
65.1
(18.4)
|
75.6
(24.2)
|
83.4
(28.6)
|
85.4
(29.7)
|
90.7
(32.6)
|
90.4
(32.4)
|
84.9
(29.4)
|
71.5
(21.9)
|
54.2
(12.3)
|
46.5
(8.1)
|
93.8
(34.3)
|
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C)
|
37.9
(3.3)
|
42.4
(5.8)
|
47.9
(8.8)
|
55.8
(13.2)
|
63.7
(17.6)
|
67.5
(19.7)
|
74.4
(23.6)
|
75.3
(24.1)
|
68.6
(20.3)
|
55.7
(13.2)
|
43.8
(6.6)
|
37.3
(2.9)
|
55.9
(13.3)
|
| Daily mean °F (°C)
|
33.4
(0.8)
|
35.8
(2.1)
|
39.9
(4.4)
|
45.8
(7.7)
|
52.8
(11.6)
|
57.2
(14.0)
|
62.6
(17.0)
|
63.3
(17.4)
|
57.9
(14.4)
|
48.2
(9.0)
|
39.0
(3.9)
|
33.6
(0.9)
|
47.5
(8.6)
|
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C)
|
28.9
(−1.7)
|
29.1
(−1.6)
|
31.8
(−0.1)
|
35.8
(2.1)
|
41.9
(5.5)
|
46.9
(8.3)
|
50.9
(10.5)
|
51.3
(10.7)
|
47.3
(8.5)
|
40.6
(4.8)
|
34.2
(1.2)
|
29.8
(−1.2)
|
39.0
(3.9)
|
| Mean minimum °F (°C)
|
18.1
(−7.7)
|
20.7
(−6.3)
|
24.7
(−4.1)
|
29.5
(−1.4)
|
34.2
(1.2)
|
40.0
(4.4)
|
45.1
(7.3)
|
45.0
(7.2)
|
39.8
(4.3)
|
30.8
(−0.7)
|
24.6
(−4.1)
|
19.6
(−6.9)
|
13.3
(−10.4)
|
| Record low °F (°C)
|
0
(−18)
|
4
(−16)
|
10
(−12)
|
24
(−4)
|
28
(−2)
|
35
(2)
|
39
(4)
|
39
(4)
|
30
(−1)
|
22
(−6)
|
5
(−15)
|
−2
(−19)
|
−2
(−19)
|
| Average precipitation inches (mm)
|
15.31
(389)
|
8.80
(224)
|
10.42
(265)
|
6.70
(170)
|
4.52
(115)
|
3.32
(84)
|
1.78
(45)
|
1.92
(49)
|
4.83
(123)
|
10.52
(267)
|
15.97
(406)
|
14.15
(359)
|
98.24
(2,496)
|
| Average snowfall inches (cm)
|
13.1
(33)
|
10.6
(27)
|
3.4
(8.6)
|
0.2
(0.51)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
2.2
(5.6)
|
12.9
(33)
|
42.4
(107.71)
|
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm)
|
11.7
(30)
|
8.7
(22)
|
5.6
(14)
|
0.2
(0.51)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
2.4
(6.1)
|
9.6
(24)
|
17.3
(44)
|
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)
|
20.8
|
17.2
|
20.5
|
17.8
|
14.2
|
13.6
|
7.0
|
6.5
|
11.2
|
17.4
|
21.3
|
20.9
|
188.4
|
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)
|
4.1
|
3.1
|
2.4
|
0.2
|
0.1
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
1.2
|
5.5
|
16.6
|
| Source 1: NOAA[4]
|
| Source 2: National Weather Service[5]
|
References
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