Slide puts out Boyle power plant

 

	The rock that punctured a canal wall to the J.C. Boyle power plant lies against the wall.

A rock slide that punctured a canal between the J.C. Boyle Dam and powerhouse Friday morning has knocked the power plant offline.

The canal brings water from the dam to turn the turbines that generate electricity.

The Boyle dam and powerhouse are along the Klamath River south of Klamath Falls. No damage was done to the dam or power plant.

Dave Kvamme, a PacifiCorp spokesman, said a 14- by 16-foot boulder slid down the cliffs at 10:45 a.m. Friday and landed in the canal that routes water from the dam to the powerhouse. The impact punched a hole in the canal wall.

“When you've got a hole in a canal it isn't much good for carrying water,” Kvamme said.

Roads that parallel both sides of the Klamath River have been temporarily closed. PacifiCorp officials have contacted the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Service about temporarily reducing water flows upstream along the Link River while repairs are made.

The Boyle powerhouse can produce up to 80 megawatts of power, just a small portion of the 4,500 megawatts provided by the entire Klamath River project. A single megawatt can provide power needs for about 415 households.

“We miss the power of course, but it's something we can work around,” Kvamme said.

Rock climbers have been hired to try to stabilize the slide area to prevent further slides. Officials also said it appears the canal water has damaged the upper access road, which may need to be rebuilt. Engineers from PacifiCorp will develop plans to repair the canal wall.

Kvamme said it's too soon to way when repairs will be made. “Obviously we'd like to get this repaired as soon as possible,” he said. “Our focus is going to be on making repairs to the canal.”

PacifiCorp officials met with staff from the Bureau of Land Management and Oregon Fish and Wildlife today to discuss repair procedures and mitigation. The BLM owns the land the dam complex is on.

	The rock slide in the middle of the canal curve caused the damage to the canal wall leading to the J.C. Boyle Dam power plant.