History
Completed in 1956 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, flood damage reduction is the authorized purpose for Folsom Dam and Reservoir. Sacramento and surrounding areas reside in a flood plain that relies on a state-federal flood control system designed to keep floodwaters away from people and property.
The project is operated by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation as part of the Central Valley Project, serving water supply demands in the state of California. Additionally, Folsom Dam and Reservoir produces hydroelectricity, helps to maintain water quality in the Bay Delta, provides recreation and water for local municipal agencies.
Plan
Folsom is a peaking powerplant which is dedicated first to meeting the requirements of the project facilities. The remaining energy is marketed to various preference customers in northern California. This plant also provides power for the pumping plant, which supplies the local domestic water supply.
Folsom Dam is a concrete gravity structure 340 feet high and 36 feet wide at the crest. The crest is 1,400 feet long. Folsom Powerplant, constructed by Reclamation, is located at the foot of Folsom Dam on the north side of the river. Water from the dam is released through three 15-foot-diameter penstocks to three generating units. The powerplant augments early flood control releases from the reservoir.
General
| NERC Region | Western Electricity Coordinating Council, California-Southern Nevada Power Area |
| PMA Service Area | Western Area Power Administration, Sierra Nevada Region |
| Powerhouse Type | Above Ground |
| Turbine Type | Francis |
| Original Nameplate Capacity | 162,000 kW |
| Year of Initial Operation | 1955 |
| Age | 52 years |
| Rated Head | 300 ft |
| Plant Factor | 24.6 percent |
| Remotely Operated | Yes |
| Plant Type | Conventional |
| Installed Capacity | 198,720 kW |
| (Fiscal Year) | 2007 |
| Production Mode | Intermediate |
| River | American River |
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