Hungry Horse news., 1954-07-09
Dam Reservoir Fills to Capacity

HUNGRY HORSE = Big event
in the history of Hungry Horse
Dam occurs this weekend with
the 34-mile long reservoir full,
and water b elm g discharged
through the spillway tunnel.
Visitors at the dam, probably
starting late Friday, commented E.
L. Gochnauer, Hungry Horse pro-
iect superintendent, will see water
flowing into the 64-foot diameter
ring gate near the dam that func-
tions as the overflow.
Grand Coulee and most other
large dams have powerhouses at
the side, with spillway water over
the crest. Hungry Horse, the ma
tion's third highest, fourth largest
concrete dam, has its poWerhouse
in the center, and uses a glory
hole" spillway.
The Hungry Horse spluWay tun-
mel is LOO feet long and varies
in diameter from 24.5 to 34.79 feet.
Lower section was originally the
diversion tunnel. Water through
the spillway drops a distance of
ATS feet with velocity considered
at go feet per second.
OFFICIAL TESTS TUESDAY
Tuesday will see official tests of
the hydraulic ring gate that can
control elevation of the lake by
12 feet from $4,000 acre feet
to 3.468,OOO acre feet.
Here for the occasion will be
Harold T. Nelson, Boise, regional
engineer for the Bureau Of Rec
lamation, and other Bureau engi-
neers from Boise and Denver Of
fices.
Level of the Flathead river at
Columbia Falls may fluctuate In
terms of a foot during the tests.
Hungry Horses four generators
have been turning at capacity this
week producing 285,OO0 kilowatt
hours. In addition water has been
| bypassed through the outlet tubes.
A week ago Army Engineers in
formed the project that flood dan
ger downstream was over, and that
Hungry Horse could proceed to
top off the reservoir level to ca
pacity, which took place this week
INCHES OF TOP
Water storage Thursday reached
3.46O,OOO acre feet. Capacity is
3,468,O0O acre feet. Level was
within a half foot of the ring gate
and overflow Thursday morning
Water at the dam is 500 fee
deep. The 34-mile long reservoir Ii
up to 3b miles wide, and covers
/ 22,5 500 acres.
Top of the ss4 fept high, 2,11i
foot long dam is 81 teet wide, AM
is used as bridge for the ives
side of the reservoir road to Spot
| ted Bear. There is also the mail
east side of the new lake road.
The four generators at eapacit.
of 285,000 kilowatts are usln
5000 cubic feet per second of wa
ter with the reservoir full, accord
ing to Charles Simmons, power
house operations supervisor. Aver
age inflow into the lake durin
June was 1883 cubic feet pc
second. The river flow peaked a
36,4O9 cubic feet per second Ma.
20.
POWER PRODUCED
Power production from July
1853, through June 80, 1854 wa
685 ,023,780 kilowatt hours. 1t
more than enough electricity, com
mented powerhouse engineers, t
keep a 10O-watt bulb for ever,
man, woman and child in Montan
lit for year. .oo
While Hungry Horse has 100,
600 kilowatts annual rating, bene
fits of water stored here to be re
leased after the spring flood de
velops 500, 900 kilowatts at power
plants downstream.
Hungry Horse Dam constructor
officially started July 10, 194S
Water storage for flood contro
and power started in 1852. Oct.
1852 saw President Harry S. Tru
man pull the switch that starte
the first of four 71,250 kilowat
generators. Maximum water stor
age achieved last year was 2,046,
O00 acre feet Oct. 10. Plan for tn
i dam is to keep the big reservoi
near bankful during the summer
and releasing water and develop
ing power after downstream stor
age facilities become depleted.
JOBS AND FLOOD CONTROL
Hungry Horse has resulted j
location of the Anaconda Alumi
/ mum CO. plant two miles east {
Columbia Falls. Power is maxim
possible a plant that will emplo
450 men year around.
This spring, Hungry Hors
holding back one-third of the flo
of the whole Flathead river, re
\ duced the flow at Columbia Fal
by over three feet. Without Hun
n cry Horse there would have bee
4 near duplication of the 1948 floo'