Near Page in Coconino County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Wicket Gates

Reclamation: Managing Water in the West

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 13, 2016

1. Wicket Gates Marker

Inscription. Hydroelectric power is produced when water under pressure flows through electrical generating equipment. Water entering the turbine flows through a series of louvers called wicket gates arranged in a ring around the turbine inlet. The amount of water entering the turbine can be regulated by opening or closing the wicket gates. This allows the operators to maintain the precise speed of the turbine's rotation which determines the frequency of the electricity produced.

Wicket gates can be fully closed, stopping the flow of water into the turbine for standby or maintenance purposes.

The wicket gate on display was removed and replaced in 2011.

Erected by Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 36° 56.186′ N, 111° 29.168′ W. Marker is near Page, Arizona, in Coconino County. It can be reached from U.S. 89. Marker is on top of the Glen Canyon Dam, off US Route 89 at the Colorado River. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Page

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AZ 86040, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Arizona’s Flagstaff & High Country,

in the Navajo Nation,

and in Hopi.

It is also in the American Southwest,

in the Mountain West,

in Colorado Plateau,

and at the Four Corners.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Concrete Bucket / Concrete Core Sample (a few steps from this marker); Hydroelectric Power - A Green and Renewable Energy Source (within shouting distance of this marker); Rock Bolts / High Scaling (within shouting distance of this marker); Lake Powell (within shouting distance of this marker); Turbine Runner (within shouting distance of this marker); Bureau of Reclamation Memorial Fountain (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Dinosaur Tracks (about 300 feet away); Intake Structures (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Page.

Also see . . . Glen Canyon Dam Power Generation (Wikipedia).

Marker detail: New stainless steel wicket gates before installation image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: New stainless steel wicket gates before installation

The power plant has a total capacity of 1,320 megawatts from eight 165,000 kilowatt generators. Each generator is driven by a 254,000 horsepower vertical-axis Francis turbine. The units were installed between September 1964 and February 1966 at an original rating of 950 megawatts; an upgrade project between 1985 and 1997 brought it to its present capacity. (Submitted on September 11, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: Turbine runner and newly installed wicket gates image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: Turbine runner and newly installed wicket gates

Marker detail: Cutaway view of a turbine/generator assembly image. Click for full size.

4. Marker detail: Cutaway view of a turbine/generator assembly

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 13, 2016

5. Wicket Gates Marker

(marker visible near left edge • subject wicket gate to right of marker • related markers in background)

Wicket Gate (<i>removed and replaced in 2011</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 13, 2016

6. Wicket Gate (removed and replaced in 2011)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 11, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,273 times since then and 71 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 10, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 11, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 5. submitted on September 10, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 6. submitted on September 11, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.