National Hydropower Association’s (NHA) Clean Currents conference + tradeshow is coming to Portland, Oregon, from October 7 – 10. Alongside the event’s bevy of content, networking get-togethers, and insight delivered by the water power industry’s top-minds, Clean Currents boasts incredible tour opportunities, allowing attendees to connect to the Pacific Northwest’s rich hydropower history.

On Monday, October 7, up to 50 participants will have the opportunity to take part in the Cowlitz River Tour – made possible by Tacoma Power. Tickets, which cost $100, can be purchased at the time of registration, and include both transportation and lunch.

The focus of the trip is Tacoma Power’s Cowlitz River Project, the largest of Tacoma’s fleet, which consists of Mayfield Dam and Mossyrock Dam. Combined, the nameplate capacity of the two projects is 462 MW, and each year they produce enough hydroelectric energy to serve more than 151,000 Washington homes.

Located an hour and forty-five minutes from Portland, the Cowlitz River Tour offers unparalleled access to hydropower projects generating roughly 1,700 gigawatt-hours of electricity each year.

The Cowlitz River weaving through the Washington countryside.

THE COWLITZ RIVER PROJECT

The Cowlitz River Project began with the construction of Mayfield Dam, which was completed in 1963, forming the 13-mile-long Mayfield Lake. The Mayfield Dam is a 250-foot-high, 850-foot-long concrete arch and gravity dam.

Five years after the Mayfield Dam opened, Tacoma Power finished construction on the Mossyrock Dam in 1968. Mossyrock Dam is a 300 MW facility, complete with two Francis turbine generators, each rated at 150 MW. In 2006, GE Energy was selected to upgrade the plant’s two turbines. The $50 million project included the replacement of turbines, stators, wicket gates, and transformers. After the upgrades, the power plant’s total capacity was increased by 70 MW.

Tacoma Power’s Mossyrock Dam in Washington state.

In addition to the two hydropower plants, the Cowlitz River Project encompasses a robust fisheries program, which includes the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery and Cowlitz Trout Hatchery. These facilities raise millions of coho salmon, Chinook salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout.

In addition, the Cowlitz River Project is home to two downstream juvenile fish passage facilities, as well as several parks and campgrounds with hundreds of campsites. The project’s wildlife programs include habitat protection and enhancement for nearly 14,000 acres of land.

TOUR DETAILS

The Cowlitz River Project tour kicks off Monday, October 7, with buses leaving from the Oregon Convention Center at 7:00 AM PT.

Located downstream from Washington’s Mount Rainer, the highest mountain in Washington, attendees will spend the day engaging with a variety of activities, which include the following:

• See and hold live salmon at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery and learn about fish passage and fisheries programs on the Cowlitz River. The Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery, in conjunction with the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery, supplies fish for restoration efforts on the upper river while supporting fishery programs downstream. The hatchery releases approximately 7.5 million spring Chinook, fall Chinook, and coho salmon each year.
• Stand on top of Mossyrock Dam – the tallest dam in Washington at 606 feet, running 1,648 feet in length. As it stands, the Mossyrock Dam is one-foot taller than Seattle’s Space Needle when measured from the bedrock.
• Tour the Mossyrock Powerhouse, which is home to two 150 MW Francis turbine generators.
• Finish the day with a scenic lunch at Mossyrock Park, located outside the town of Mossyrock, Washington.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about how to add the tour to your registration, click HERE.

If you have questions about this opportunity, please reach out to Ellie Rubalow, NHA’s Events Specialist, at [email protected].