The John C. Boyle Dam is a

hydroelectric dam Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

located in southern

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

, United States. It is on the upper

Klamath River The Klamath River (Karuk: ''Ishkêesh'', Klamath: ''Koke'', Yurok: ''Hehlkeek 'We-Roy'') flows through Oregon and northern California in the United States, emptying into the Pacific Ocean. By average discharge, the Klamath is the second larges ...

, south (downstream) of

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, and about 12 miles north of the

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

border. Originally developed and known as Big Bend, the John C. Boyle dam and powerhouse complex was re-dedicated to honor the pioneer hydroelectric engineer who was responsible for the design of virtually all of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project. The Boyle Diversion Dam includes several sections (earth-fill, concrete gravity, intake and spillway) that combine to form an overall crest length of 714.3 feet with a height of 68 feet. The concrete spillway portion contains three gates and forms the John C. Boyle Reservoir. Fish screens, fish ladder, and related features are also present at the site. The dam produces power at peak times, meaning sometimes it produces electricity and returns water to the river; other times only a small amount of water is returned to the river. This causes a "bathtub" ring effect downstream of the plant's turbines. The John C. Boyle Dam is one of four on the Klamath River that would be removed under the Klamath Economic Restoration Act. As of February 2016, the states of Oregon and California, the dam owners, federal regulators and other parties reached an agreement to remove all four dams by the year 2020, pending approval by the

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(FERC). As of October 2020, negotiations stalled. As of February 25, 2022, the FERC released their final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the dam's removal. The dam is expected to be removed sometime in 2023 or 2024. The social movement to Un-Dam the Klamath has been ongoing for 20 years. It is named after John C. Boyle (1899-1979), who was vice president, general manager, and long-time chief engineer of the California Oregon Power Company (COPCO), a privately held utility that served southern Oregon and portions of northern California.

References

{{Klamath River Dams in Oregon PacifiCorp dams Hydroelectric power plants in Oregon Buildings and structures in Klamath County, Oregon Dams completed in 1958 Energy infrastructure completed in 1958 1958 establishments in Oregon Earth-filled dams Gravity dams Dams on the Klamath River

See also

References