2007-10-02 - Cabin Creek Dam

02 October, 2007.

A chemical fire at a hydroelectric plant outside this mountain town trapped five workers in an empty water tunnel about 1,000 feet below ground. Nine workers were in the tunnel when the fire broke out at 2 p.m. on a machine being used to coat the inside of the 48-inch pipe with epoxy. The hydroelectric plant generates electricity during peak times of demand by releasing water from one reservoir into a lower reservoir, then pumping the water back to the upper reservoir. It was built from 1964 to 1967 and is located about 2 miles southwest of Georgetown at 10,018 feet above sea level.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299034,00.html

Technical:

The Project consists of two reservoirs with a maximum head differential of 1,226 kw pump-turbine units. The upper reservoir is formed by a 210 ft high rock fill dam with a concrete facing with crest 11,202 ft above sea level. The dam at the lower reservoir is a combination earth and rock fill dam 95 ft high with sloping impervious core and upstream blanket.

http://cedb.asce.org/cgi/WWWdisplay.cgi?7100445