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Yuba Water Agency is generously hosting a tour of the powerhouse and dam on Monday, October 17, 2022. The tour is exclusive for attendees of the National Hydropower Association’s Clean Currents event. Spots on the tour are limited to 40 people and will fill fast, so make your reservations by September 30th! To learn more about this unique opportunity, check out the tour site here or add the tour onto your Clean Currents 2022 registration.
Yuba Water Agency is one of six host utilities of the event. The agency is joined by Bureau of Reclamation, California Department of Water Resources, Northern California Power Agency, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and Sacramento Municipal Utilities District.
Find out what’s in store!
SEE CALIFORNIA HYDROPOWER IN ACTION
Located an hour and a half north of Sacramento, the reservoir formed by New Bullards Bar Dam is nestled between two grand National Forests – the Plumas, spanning 1,146,000 acres, and Tahoe, 850,000 acres.
Attendees of Clean Currents will have ample opportunity to glimpse the majesty of the landscape on this chartered trip – lunch included.
The first stop on the tour is the dam. Completed in 1969, Bullards Bar dam is the fifth tallest in the United States at 645 feet high and it runs a length of 2,323 feet.
With a reservoir storing nearly 1 million acre-feet of water, the New Bullards Bar Dam also provides dedicated flood storage – of 170,00 acre-feet – during the winter months.
Home to the world record for the largest spotted bass at 11.4 pounds, the reservoir – known for warm waters and great fishing – attracts more than 112,000 visitors each year.
After New Bullards Bar Dam, the tour will move to New Colgate Powerhouse – located on the main stem of the Yuba River, downstream of the North Yuba River, Middle Yuba River, and Oregon Creek.
With water carried almost 5 miles from New Bullards Bar Reservoir by way of a 15-foot-diameter tunnel, the water drives two of the largest single-cast Pelton Wheel turbines ever constructed.
The turbines have the capacity to produce up to 350 megawatts, which is the electric equivalent of powering approximately 350,000 homes.
The project creates reliable, carbon-free energy, supporting California’s demands for a renewable energy grid that is both reliable and flexible.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For the cost of $50, a Clean Currents’ attendee can experience the beauty of Northern California while receiving an exclusive tour of Yuba Water Agency’s facilities and grounds.
Bringing together attendees from across the waterpower community, Clean Currents features speakers tuned into innovative and visionary insights, opportunities to network with peers, and access to the latest waterpower solutions from across the supply chain.
