News Release
| Release Number: | 01-113 |
| Dated: | 7/31/2001 |
| Contact: | Heidi Y. Helwig, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will change the way water is released from behind Big Cliff Dam for about 24 days in August so maintenance crews can work on the dam's single generator.
Crews will perform routine maintenance on the 18-megawatt unit between Aug. 6 and Aug. 30. The work will include breaker maintenance, governor maintenance, and turbine cavitation repairs. Similar work began on the 15-megawatt generator at Dexter Dam on July 30 and will continue through Aug. 23.
As a result of the generator maintenance, the Corps must release water using the dam's spillway. Normally, the water would be passed through the generator to produce electricity.
Water must be released past the dam to allow continued water releases from Detroit Reservoir - about 2.5 miles upstream - to maintain minimum water flow in the North Santiam River throughout the year.
During the summer, the Corps releases about 900 cubic feet per second from the reservoir behind Big Cliff Dam. The amount of water released during this time will remain the same. Only the manner of release will be different.
Detroit and Big Cliff dams, 45 miles southeast of Salem, were constructed in 1953.
Dexter Dam is about 22 miles southeast of Eugene and was constructed in 1954.