Huites Dam

{{Infobox dam

| name = Huites Dam

| name_official = Luis Donaldo Colosio Dam{{cite web|title=Hidroeléctricas|url=http://www.cfe.gob.mx/QuienesSomos/estadisticas/listadocentralesgeneradoras/Paginas/listadohidroelectricas.aspx|publisher=Comisión Federal de Electricidad|accessdate=1 June 2012|language=Spanish|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110426042638/http://www.cfe.gob.mx/QuienesSomos/estadisticas/listadocentralesgeneradoras/Paginas/listadohidroelectricas.aspx|archivedate=26 April 2011}}

| image =

| image_size =

| image_caption =

| image_alt =

| location_map = Mexico

| location_map_relief =1

| location_map_size =

| location_map_caption = Location of Huites Dam in Mexico

| coordinates = {{coord|26|50|41|N|108|22|08|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| country =

| location = Sinaloa, Mexico

| status =

| construction_began = 1992

| opening = 1995

| demolished =

| cost = US$ 212 million{{cite web|url=http://www.unep.ch/etu/publications/25)%20173%20to%20182.pdf|title=Huites Irrigation Project|author=Gomez-Balandra, Maria A.|publisher=United Nations Environment Programme|work=UNEP EIA Training Resources Manual: Case studies from developing countries|pages=173–182|accessdate=2012-05-30|archive-date=2008-11-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122185056/http://www.unep.ch/etu/publications/25%29%20173%20to%20182.pdf|url-status=dead}}

| owner =

| dam_type = Concrete gravity

| dam_height = {{convert|162|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| dam_height_thalweg =

| dam_height_foundation=

| dam_length = {{convert|426|m|ft|abbr=on}}{{cite web|url=http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/35960/30962465.pdf?sequence=1|title=Financing Infrastructure Development In Mexico Through Public-Private Partnerships: The Huites Hydroelectric Dam|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology|date=February 1994|author=Gancz, Roberto Jinich|accessdate=2012-05-30}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

| dam_width_crest =

| dam_width_base =

| dam_volume = {{convert|2980000|m3|yd3|abbr=on}}

| dam_elevation_crest =

| dam_crosses = Rio Fuerte

| spillway_count =

| spillway_type = Overflow, 4x radial gates

| spillway_capacity = {{convert|22445|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}

| res_name =

| res_capacity_total = {{convert|4.568|km3|acre feet|abbr=on}}

| res_capacity_active = {{convert|2.908|km3|acre feet|abbr=on}}

| res_capacity_inactive=

| res_catchment =

| res_surface = {{convert|93|km2|acre|abbr=on}}

| res_elevation =

| res_max_depth =

| res_max_length =

| res_max_width =

| res_tidal_range =

| plant_operator = Comisión Federal de Electricidad

| plant_commission = 15 September 1996

| plant_decommission =

| plant_type =

| plant_turbines = 2 x 220 MW Francis-type{{cite web|title=Luis Donaldo Colosio (Huites)|url=http://globalenergyobservatory.org/geoid/4104|publisher=Global Energy Observatory|accessdate=1 June 2012}}

| plant_capacity = 422 MW

| plant_annual_gen = 875 million KWh

| website =

| extra =

}}

Huites Dam, officially known as Luis Donaldo Colosio Dam, is located on the Rio Fuerte in northwestern Sinaloa, Mexico {{convert|130|km|mi}} northeast of Los Mochis. The {{convert|162|m|ft|adj=on}}-high, hybrid concrete arch-gravity dam impounds a reservoir called Lago Huites or PresaPresa signifies reservoir. Luís Donaldo Colosio and is owned by the Comisión Federal de Electricidad.

The construction of a dam on the upper Rio Fuerte was considered since the 1940s but the first detailed studies were not made until 1974–1977. Construction started in 1992 with the excavation of a diversion channel around the dam site and the implementation of a pair of cofferdams to protect the site from floods. About {{convert|485000|m3|yd3}} of material was excavated from the site before construction on the actual dam could begin. Placement of the {{convert|2980000|m3|yd3}} of concrete in the dam, hydroelectric power plant and spillway structures was completed in 29 months, with the workforce peaking at 2,671 in May 1993. Construction was completed in 1995 at a cost of roughly US$ 212 million. The dam's two generators were commissioned on 15 September 1996.

The impounded water behind the dam forms a reservoir with a capacity of {{convert|4.568|km3|acre feet}}, of which {{convert|2.908|km3|acre feet}} is active capacity and {{convert|2.408|km3|acre feet}} is reserved for irrigation and power production. About {{convert|1.102|km3|acre feet}} are given exclusively for flood control. Floodwaters are released through a spillway on the south side of the dam, controlled by four {{convert|15.5|x|21.0|m|ft|abbr=on}} radial gates. Water stored in the reservoir is used to provide irrigation to {{convert|89700|ha|acre}} of land in the Fuerte River valley. The dam's power plant has two Francis turbines with a combined generating capacity of 422 megawatts (MW){{cite web

|url=http://industryabout.com/north-america/mexico/1543-mexico-hydro-power/17249-huites-dam

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818060453/http://industryabout.com/north-america/mexico/1543-mexico-hydro-power/17249-huites-dam

|url-status=usurped

|archive-date=August 18, 2013

|title=Huites Dam

|publisher=Industry About

|date=

|accessdate=2012-05-30}} and produces an average of 875 million KWh annually. At full capacity, the plant utilizes a water flow of {{convert|235|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}.