| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Dam crosses | North Platte River |
| Location | Natrona County, Wyoming, USA |
| Dam length | 763 feet (233 m) |
| Dam height | 265 feet (81 m) |
| Dam volume | 1,635,000 cu yd (1,250,000 m3) |
| Spillway capacity | 55,000 cu ft/s (1,600 m3/s) |
| Construction began | 1935 |
| Opening | 1938 |
| Operator | U.S. Bureau of Reclamation |
| Res name | Alcova Reservoir |
| Res capacity total | 184,405 acre.ft |
| Res elevation | 5,502 ft (1,677 m)[1] |
| Plant turbines | 2 x 18 MW Francis turbines |
| Plant capacity | 36 MW |
| Plant annual gen | 92,408,000 KWh |
| Plant hydraulic head | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Coordinates | 42°32′53″N 106°43′10″W |
Alcova Dam (National ID # WY01290) is a 265-foot (81-metre) tall zoned earthfill dam in central Wyoming, built in 1935-38 on the North Platte River and operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for water storage and hydroelectric power generation. The dam was built as part of the Kendrick Project, formerly the Casper-Alcova Project, whose central features are Alcova and Seminoe dams.[2]
Alcova Powerplant comprises two generating units, each 18 MW. The reservoir's capacity is 184,405 acre.ft, but only 30,606 acre.ft may be used for irrigation.[3]
History
Alcova Canyon was first surveyed for potential damsites in 1903. In 1921 a dam was proposed at Alcova to divert water to Casper, irrigating 60,000 acres (24,000 ha). The project was authorized in 1933, with $15,000,000 allocated by 1936. Initially titled the Casper-Alcova Project, the effort was renamed the Kendrick Project in 1937 to honor Wyoming senator John B. Kendrick. Work on a diversion tunnel began in 1933. Work on the dam started in 1935, carried out by a joint venture of W.E. Callahan Construction of Dallas, Texas, and Gunther and Shirley of Los Angeles, California. Earthfill placement started in 1936.and was completed in 1937. The reservoir was filled in 1938, with final completion of the dam on May 8, 1938. The powerplant was not started until 1952, completed three years later.[4]
Geology
Alcova Dam is situated within an anticline; a Laramide-age fold located on the southeastern margin of the Wind River Basin. The North Platte River has carved a deep canyon directly through the axis of this anticline, exposing vertical walls of ancient sedimentary rock. The dam itself is anchored in a narrow gap where the river sliced through resistant rock ridges. In the immediate vicinity of the dam, the rock layers generally dip toward the northeast or east at angles ranging from 9° to 13°.[5] The rock in this area is Tensleep sandstone and Alcova limestone, a member of the Chugwater Formation.[6]
References
- ^
- ^ "Alcova Dam". U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
- ^ "Kendrick Project". U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 20 May 2011.[dead link]
- ^ Klajic, Leisl A. "The Kendrick Project". U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
- ^ Bradley, W.H. (1935). "Geology of the Alcova Dam and Reservoir Sites". United States Geological Survey.
- ^ "Wyoming Stratigraphic Nomenclature Chart". Wyoming State Geological Survey. 2004.
External links
- Alcova Dam Archived 2011-07-04 at the Wayback Machine at the Bureau of Reclamation
- Alcova Powerplant Archived 2011-08-09 at the Wayback Machine at the Bureau of Reclamation
- Kendrick Project Archived 2011-07-04 at the Wayback Machine at the Bureau of Reclamation