Cushman Dam No. 1 is a
hydroelectric dam on the North Fork of the
Skokomish River in
Mason County, Washington, which in derogation of the natural and treaty rights of the Native inhabitants impounded and enlarged the formerly natural
Lake Cushman, leading to damage claims in excess of $5 billion and an eventual settlement agreement with the Skokomish tribe that terminates the right to operate the dam(s) after 2048. It was built by
Tacoma City Light (now
Tacoma Power) in 1924–1926. Tacoma's demand for electricity grew rapidly after
World War I. Tacoma City Light's
Nisqually River Hydroelectric Project, built in 1912, could not meet the demand and the utility decided to build a new hydroelectric project on the North Fork Skokomish River. The dam and powerhouse first began to deliver electricity on February 12, 1926.
It has a concrete
arch
An arch is a vertical curved structure that spans an elevated space and may or may not support the weight above it, or in case of a horizontal arch like an arch dam, the hydrostatic pressure against it.
Arches may be synonymous with vaul ...
design and includes 90,000 cubic yards (69,000 m³) of concrete, covering a whole 6,244 feet (1903 m) of water. Two 21,600 kilowatt generators provide 127 million kilowatt-hours annually to the
Tacoma Power system.
Construction began on July 7, 1924, under the commissioner Ira S. Davidsson (1918–1940). It has a top width of eight feet (2.4 m) and a base width of 50 feet (15 m), at 275 feet (84 m) high and 1,111 feet (339 m) long. The transmission of electricity to Tacoma, over lines crossing
Tacoma Narrows, was activated, or "formally energized", on March 23, 1926, with the push of a button by President
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...
in a ceremony at the
White House.
A second, smaller dam,
Cushman Dam No. 2
Cushman Dam No. 2 is a hydroelectric dam on the North Fork of the Skokomish River in Mason County, Washington, United States, forming Lake Kokanee. Built in 1930, its three 27,000 kilowatt generators provide 233 million kilowatt-hours annually to ...
, 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) downstream of Dam No. 1, was completed by December 1930.
See also
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Cushman Dam No. 2
Cushman Dam No. 2 is a hydroelectric dam on the North Fork of the Skokomish River in Mason County, Washington, United States, forming Lake Kokanee. Built in 1930, its three 27,000 kilowatt generators provide 233 million kilowatt-hours annually to ...
*
References
External links
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Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) documentation, filed under Hoodsport, Mason County, WA:
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Dams in Washington (state)
Hydroelectric power plants in Washington (state)
Dams completed in 1926
Buildings and structures in Mason County, Washington
Dams on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state)
National Register of Historic Places in Mason County, Washington
Energy infrastructure completed in 1926
United States power company dams
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state)
Tacoma Public Utilities
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