Description of PacifiCorp’s Klamath Hydroelectric Project Facilities Within the Klamath Hydroelectric Project:

Link River

PacifiCorp’s Eastside and Westside Powerhouses receive water diverted into canals on each side of the Klamath River at the Bureau of Reclamation’s Link River Dam.  Link River Dam is located 253.7 river miles up the Klamath River from its mouth (RM), at the lower end of Upper Klamath Lake. This facility already has a state-of-the-art fish ladder suitable for trout, suckers, and anadromous fish migrations.

 Keno Dam

The Link River flows into Lake Ewauna, which is the upper end of an impounded reach of the Klamath River (also known as Keno Reservoir), which is controlled by Keno Dam. 

Keno Dam is at River Mile (RM) 233, approximately 20 miles downstream from Link River Dam.  There is no power generation at this dam.  This facility has a fish ladder suitable for trout and salmon passage.

J.C. Boyle Development

Below Keno Dam, the 4.7-mile long Keno Reach flows into J.C. Boyle Reservoir (also known as Topsy Reservoir), created by J.C. Boyle Dam.  J.C. Boyle Dam is at RM 224.7.  Here most of the flow is diverted out of the river through a canal around the four-mile J.C. Boyle Bypassed River Reach. The canal extends to the J.C. Boyle Powerhouse at RM 220.4.  Below the powerhouse, the 17-mile J.C. Boyle Peaking Reach of the Klamath River receives a daily peaking regime.  This facility has an outdated fish ladder and outdated fish screens that do not meet current National Marine Fisheries Service fish passage criteria.

Copco 1 and Copco 2 Dams

Near RM 209, the Klamath River crosses into California, and enters Copco Reservoir near RM 204.  Copco Reservoir is impounded by Copco No.1 Dam at RM 198.7, where flow is diverted into the adjacent Copco No. 1 Powerhouse.  About one-half mile below this powerhouse, Copco No. 2 Dam diverts almost the entire flow from Copco No. 2 Reservoir into a penstock (a very large pipe directing flow to a turbine) around the 1.4-mile Copco Bypassed River Reach to Copco No. 2 Powerhouse at RM 196.8.  Copco 1 and Copco 2 dams have no upstream or downstream fishways.

Iron Gate Dam

Below Copco 2 Powerhouse, the river flows into Iron Gate Reservoir, impounded by Iron Gate Dam at RM 190. This is the furthest downstream of the Project facilities. Here the flow passes through the Iron Gate Powerhouse, and then the Klamath River continues for 190 miles to the Pacific Ocean.  Iron Gate Dam has no upstream or downstream fishways.

Fall Creek Development

The Fall Creek development is the smallest in terms of generation, the oldest, and the only development not on the mainstem Klamath River.  Flow from Spring Creek (in the Jenny Creek watershed) is diverted into Fall Creek in Oregon, and these waters flow through the Fall Creek Powerhouse about one mile above Fall Creek’s juncture with the upper end of Iron Gate Reservoir.