Overview

Kortes Dam is constructed in the 1,000-foot gorge of the Black Canyon on the North Platte River. The level of water in Kortes Reservoir controls the tailwater elevation of Seminoe Power Plant. The dam is constructed at the optimum location to develop the most head between Seminoe tailwater and Pathfinder high water surface elevation. About 200 of the 300 feet available are used. The concrete gravity structure has a maximum height above foundation rock of 244 feet and contails 147,000 cubic yards of concrete.

The 83-acre Kortes Reservoir is confined to the narrow canyon and provides storage for only 4,700 acre-feet of water. Other principal features include a 50,000-cubic-foot-per-second uncontrolled spillway through the right abutment, a switchyard on the top of the dam, and transmission taplines to the canyon rim.

Foundation: Relatively fresh, unweathered, high-quality granite, complexly fractured, with prominent sheeted and jointed zones, in many of which the granite has altered to clay.

General

Dimensions

Hydraulics & Hydrology