Cedar Falls Hydroelectric Project

Located in east King County in the Cascade Mountains, the Cedar Falls Hydroelectric Project was City Light's first hydroelectric plant built to light the streets of Seattle. It was also the nation's first municipally owned hydroelectric project. Started in 1902, it was finally completed in 1914 and included the Masonry Dam, penstocks, powerhouse, and a company town. The Masonry Dam that creates the Chester Morse Reservoir is used for power generation while also providing about 70% of the domestic water supply to the Seattle metropolitan area of approximately 1.4 million people. Water flow from the reservoir is also managed to provide favorable instream flow conditions for salmon and steelhead reproduction.

The stream flows are managed under the City of Seattle Cedar River Watershed Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).

Cultural Resource Protection

The Cedar Falls Project is located within two National Register listed districts - the Seattle Municipal Light and Power Plant and the Cedar River Watershed Cultural Landscape. City Light actively protects cultural resources in the project area, as well as helping to mitigate impacts to these resources. We partner with Seattle Public Utilities, local Tribes, federal, state and county agencies in the management of cultural resources.