History
The powerplant is operated and maintained under a contract with the Dolores Water Conservancy District. The powerplant was out of service from September 1994 to January 1997 due to a turbine problem.
The Congress authorized the Dolores Project under the Colorado River Basin Act of September 30, 1968 (Public Law 90-537), as a participating project under the Colorado River Storage Project Act of April 11, 1956 (Public Law 84-485).
The Dolores Project, located in the Dolores and San Juan River Basins in southwestern Colorado, develops water from the Dolores River for irrigation, municipal and industrial use, recreation, fish and wildlife, and production of hydroelectric power. It also provides flood control and aids economic redevelopment.
Powerplants are located on McPhee Dam and the Towaoc Canal to generate an annual average of 36,578,000 kilowatt-hours, which enters the Colorado River Storage Project power transmission system. The McPhee Dam facility operates year-round on fishery releases from McPhee Reservoir.
Plan
McPhee Powerplant provides energy for project use. McPhee Dam is a rolled earth, sand, gravel, and rockfill structure with a volume of approximately 5,029,000 cubic yards. The crest of the dam is 270 feet above streambed, 1,300 feet long and 30 feet wide. A gated spillway located in the right abutment includes a concrete chute leading to a stilling basin. The McPhee Dam Powerplant consists of a penstock located within the outlet tunnel of the dam, two turbines and a generator at the base of the dam, and a 4.5-mile, 12.5-kilovolt transmission line to Great Cut Switchyard. The powerplant is operated and maintained under a contract with the Dolores Water Conservancy District. The powerplant was out of service from September 1994 to January 1997 due to a turbine problem. Shutdown in May 2002 through the rest of the water year due to lack of water. Western Electricity Coordinating Council, Rocky Mountain Power Area Conventional Above Ground Francis 1,283 kW 1,283 kW 1993 5,334,939 kWh 2007 Normal operations Western Area Power Administration, Colorado River Storage Project Management Center 14 years 215 ft
