Pit 5 Dam is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric dam on the Pit River in Shasta County, northeastern California, about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Big Bend. It is part of the Pit 3-4-5 hydroelectric project owned by Pacific Gas & Electric Company.^[4]

Quick Facts Country, Location ...

Pit 5 Dam
Location of Pit 5 Dam in California
Country	United States
Location	Shasta County, California
Coordinates	40°59′30″N 121°52′16″W[1]
Purpose	Hydroelectric
Opening date	1944
Owner(s)	PG&E
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Pit River
Height (foundation)	58 ft (18 m)[2]
Length	340 ft (100 m)[2]
Reservoir
Creates	Pit 5 Reservoir
Total capacity	330 acre⋅ft (410,000 m3)[2]
Pit 5 Powerhouse
Installed capacity	160 MW[3]
Annual generation	781,328,000 KWh (2001–2012)[3]

Close

The concrete gravity diversion dam is 58 feet (18 m) high and 340 feet (100 m) long.^[2] It has a gated spillway controlled by four 50 ft × 26.3 ft (15.2 m × 8.0 m) steel wheel gates, and a 30 in (76 cm) diameter river outlet for regular releases. An intake structure diverts water into a 5,109-foot (1,557 m) long penstock to the Pit 5 Tunnel forebay reservoir, from which a second 23,149-foot (7,056 m) tunnel connects to the Pit 5 power station. There are four 40 MW generating units, each fed by a 1,380-foot (420 m)-long penstock.^[5]

The dam and power station were authorized in 1942 and constructed as a wartime project, and the first power was generated on April 29, 1944.^[6] Construction of the dam and power station dewatered a stretch of the Pit River known as the "Big Bend". When the projects were relicensed in 2007, a minimum 250 cu ft/s (7.1 m³/s) release^[5] into the river was established, to provide recreation benefits such as boating and fishing, and to improve riparian habitat.^[7]

• List of dams and reservoirs in California