Baker River Hydroelectric Project
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy, Hydroelectric power |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Hydroelectric power |
The Baker River () is a tributary flowing roughly southward into the Skagit River in the northwestern region of Washington, United States. It drains a watershed situated in the upper North Cascades, partly encompassed by North Cascades National Park, located to the east of Mount Baker. As the final significant tributary before the Skagit River empties into Skagit Bay, it passes through the town of Concrete, Washington near its confluence and is regulated by two hydroelectric dams owned by Puget Sound Energy.
Course
The Baker River begins its journey in the Cascade Range close to Whatcom Peak, inside North Cascades National Park. It travels southwest along a steep valley carved by glaciers, where it is joined by multiple tributaries that cascade down tall waterfalls. In its southern section, the river is impounded by two reservoirs that form the : the 9-mile-long Baker Lake, created by the 312-foot-tall Upper Baker Dam, and downstream, Lake Shannon, which is held back by Lower Baker Dam. After passing Lower Baker Dam, the river flows unimpeded for nearly one mile before merging with the Skagit River.
Most of Baker Lake lies within Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest. The Upper Baker Dam is situated in Whatcom County, while Lower Baker Dam is located in Skagit County near the community of Concrete. Both dams are privately owned and operated by the utility company Puget Sound Energy.
Natural history
The Baker River supports the sole enduring population of Sockeye salmon within the Skagit River watershed. These sockeye are recognized by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) as genetically unique. Classified as "critical" in 1992, their numbers had dwindled to only 92 adult fish returning in 1985. Subsequent improvements in smolt trapping and transportation efforts led to a rebound exceeding 20,000 fish by 2003, with annual returns ranging between 10,000 and 30,000 since 2010. A forecasted run size reached 46,268 in 2015. In 2023, returns surpassed 65,000—an unexpected record nearing the management goal of 100,000 fish.
Prior to the construction of Lower Baker Dam in 1925, sockeye salmon had unrestricted access to natural spawning habitats including Baker Lake, with estimated annual runs around 20,000 fish. Artificial propagation efforts began as early as 1896 with Washington’s first sockeye hatchery established on Baker Lake; this facility ceased operations in 1933. The Upper Baker Dam, completed in 1959, inundated original spawning grounds; consequently, artificial spawning beds were developed at the upper end of the newly formed lake and on Sulfur Creek starting in 1990. All returning sockeye are captured below Lower Baker Dam and transported to these designated artificial spawning sites.
In addition to sockeye salmon, the river provides habitat for other migratory salmonids such as coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), chinook (O. tshawytscha), pink (O. gorbuscha), and chum (O. keta) salmon; both winter- and summer-run steelhead trout (O. mykiss); as well as sea-run coastal cutthroat trout (O. clarki clarki).
Tributaries
The following are tributaries feeding into the Baker River, listed from downstream to upstream with left (L) or right (R) bank indicated:
- Thunder Creek (L)
- Bear Creek
- Rocky Creek (R)
- Sulphur Creek (R)
- Anderson Creek
- Sandy Creek (R)
- Park Creek (R)
- Swift Creek (R)
- Shannon Creek (R)
- Shuksan Lake Creek (R)
- Blum Creek (L)
- Sulphide Creek (R)
- Bald Eagle Creek
- Pass Creek
- Picket Creek (L)
- Mineral Creek