Yale Dam Explained

Yale Dam
Dam Crosses:Lewis River
Res Name:Yale Lake
Status:O
Location:Clark / Cowlitz counties, Washington, USA
Operator:PacifiCorp
Dam Length:1500feet
Dam Height:323feet
Dam Type:E
Dam Elevation Crest:460feet
Spillway Type:Gated concrete ogee/chute
Spillway Length:195feet
Designed By:Ebasco Services Inc.
Opening:1953
Res Capacity Total:402000sigfig=3NaNsigfig=3
Res Catchment:600sqmi
Plant Hydraulic Head:240sqmi
Plant Turbines:2
Plant Capacity:134,000 kW
Coordinates:45.9642°N -122.3325°W

Yale Dam is a 323-foot high earth-type hydroelectric dam on the Lewis River, in the U.S. state of Washington, owned by PacifiCorp. It is located on the border between Cowlitz County and Clark County. Its reservoir is called Yale Lake. The dam's power plant capacity is 134 megawatts.

In January 2020, PacifiCorp, the dam owner, lowered the reservoir level 10 feet below normal operating level in order to reduce the probability of an accidental release due to an earthquake.