|
 Tacoma
Power began generating electricity on the Nisqually River over 90 years ago. The
original LaGrande Dam, completed in 1912, was replaced in 1945 with Alder Dam and the new
LaGrande Dam. The
Nisqually River Project is now Tacoma Power's second-largest
hydroelectric resource, generating nearly 600 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each
year, enough to serve nearly 43,000 Northwest homes.
Alder Dam forms the 3,000-acre Alder Lake. The
Alder Lake Recreation Area is ideal for
boating, fishing, swimming and camping. Tacoma Power provides several top-quality
recreational facilities at Alder Lake.
 The Tacoma Power
Natural Resources Program is
busy implementing a variety of
fisheries
and
wildlife habitat improvements while
providing
recreational opportunities.
Kokanee planting, nesting boxes
for wood ducks and bluebirds, and improving elk forage are just a few of the
programs in and around Alder Lake and the surrounding 3,500 acres of
wildlife land. A new federal license issued in 1997 is the impetus for these
exciting and challenging endeavors. The new license was developed in
consultation with the Nisqually Tribe and Nisqually River Council along with
various agencies, including the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
For these efforts, Tacoma Power was awarded
the Outstanding
Stewardship of America’s Rivers
award from the National Hydropower Association.
The association recognized six utilities that have demonstrated
diligent stewardship and extraordinary environmental achievement at seven
hydroelectric projects in the United States and Canada.
Take a Tour
A popular community service at the Nisqually Hydroelectric Project is
free group tours. Tours are available for school, civic, business and
recreational groups during regular working hours by appointment. To make
arrangements for a tour, call Tacoma Power at 253-502-8759. Reservoirs
 Alder Lake is the reservoir formed by Alder Dam. The beautiful lake, with striking
views of Mt. Rainier, attracts more than 100,000 people yearly for boating, camping,
fishing, swimming, picnicking and other outdoor fun.
Tacoma Power's federal license describes the priorities for managing the elevation of
Alder Lake. The highest priority is maintaining downstream river flows at or above a
specified minimum. When natural river flow is less than the required minimum - mostly
during summer and early fall - additional water must be taken from Alder Lake to achieve
the minimum downstream flow. The added flows improve rearing habitat for salmon and
steelhead, and are greater than what would naturally occur without the dams.
The next highest priority is keeping the lake's elevation high during the prime
recreation months.
Alder Lake is too small to provide downstream flood control. Even so, Tacoma Power
lowers the elevation of the lake when possible during winter months to enable some capture
of high water inflows from rainstorms and snow melt. It is not a flood control project.
The 45-acre reservoir behind LaGrande Dam is not publicly accessible because of the
steep, rugged terrain.
Enjoy your visit!
[top of
page]
|
Alder Dam
