Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
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Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Projects
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| Location | Whatcom County, Washington |
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| Nearest city | Newhalem, Washington |
| Area | 42 acres (17.0 ha) |
| Built | 1917 |
| Architect | Seattle Engineering Dept.; Jorgenson, Lars |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Bungalow/American craftsman, Other, Industrial |
| MPS | Hydroelectric Power Plants in Washington State, 1890--1938 MPS |
| NRHP reference # |
96000416 (original) 11000016 (increase) |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 26, 1996 |
| Boundary increase | February 11, 2011 |
The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project is a series of dams with hydroelectric power-generating stations on the Skagit River in northern Washington State. The project is owned and operated by Seattle City Light to provide electric power for the City of Seattle and surrounding communities.
In 2012, hydro-electric dams provided approximately 89.8 percent of the electricity used in Seattle. The Skagit Hydroelectric Project alone accounts for about 20 percent of Seattle City Light's electricity.
The three major dams in the Skagit River Project are (from lower to upper) Gorge Dam, Diablo Dam, and Ross Dam. The dams are located in Whatcom County above the town of Newhalem, which lies just west of North Cascades National Park. Ross Lake, formed by Ross Dam extends into British Columbia, which is 20 miles upriver from the dam. Ross Lake National Recreation Area surrounds the lake.
Construction of Gorge Dam 48°41′52″N 121°12′30″W / 48.69778°N 121.20833°W began in 1921 and the first power was delivered to Seattle in 1924. The cost of the dam was $13 million ($153,339,181 in 2006 dollars). In 1961 a new Gorge High Dam was completed (300 feet, 91 meters) to replace the original Gorge Dam. This dam was featured in Alan Pakula's 1974 thriller The Parallax View, starring Warren Beatty.
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