News:

• Cushman lake levels lower this summer
• Tacoma Power receives a long-term license for Cushman Hydroelectric Project

One of the first major dams in the Pacific Northwest was Tacoma Power's Cushman Dam No. 1, dedicated in 1926, when President Calvin Coolidge pressed a button in the White House to energize the project. The dam is on the North Fork of the Skokomish River near Hood Canal. It is 275 feet high and 1,111 feet long. Lake Cushman has a 23-mile shoreline.

Just downstream, Cushman Dam No. 2 was completed in 1930, forming the small 150-acre Kokanee Lake. This dam measures 235 feet above bedrock and is 575 feet in length.

The powerhouse for Cushman No.2 sits several miles below the dam, overlooking scenic Hood Canal along U.S. Highway 101; the powerhouse attracts hundreds of visitors every year.

Electricity moves from the Cushman Hydro Project to Tacoma on a 40-mile-long transmission line. Construction of the Tacoma Narrows transmission line crossing was a notable engineering achievement of the time. Stretching more than a mile and a quarter between towers in Tacoma and Gig Harbor, the power lines were the longest single span in the world.

Settlement Agreements
On Jan. 12, 2009, Tacoma Power, the Skokomish Tribe and state and federal agencies signed a settlement agreement that resolves a $5.8 billion damages claim and long-standing disputes over the terms of a long-term license for Cushman Hydroelectric Project.

View summaries and frequently-asked questions about topics related to Cushman Hydroelectric Project operations:

• Highlights of the agreements
• Map showing locations of improvements
• Timeline
• Fisheries
• Recreation and wildlife
• River flows and lake levels
• The settlement agreement signed with Skokomish Tribe

Take a Tour
A popular community service at the Cushman Hydro Project is free group tours. Tours are available by appointment to school, civic, business and recreational groups during regular working hours. To make arrangements for a tour, call Tacoma Power at (253) 502-8759.

Groups taking tours of the Cushman dams and powerhouses meet at the Cushman Powerhouse No. 2, located on Highway 101 near the town of Potlatch, south of Hoodsport.