Meet The Wenatchee Valley College Students Attempting to Modernize Dryden Dam

Wenatchee Valley College students could modernize the way Dryden Dam operates.

Chelan PUD and Wenatchee Valley College highlight the work of Dillon Cornelius and Juan Martinez in a joint press release Monday. They worked with Chelan PUD engineers designing a new operating system. Both students demonstrated the designs for commissioners using a 3D model and a physical prototype.

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“As graduates from WVC's engineering program, I'm incredibly proud of how Dillon and Juan have put their heart and soul into this project,” said Dr. Sai Ramaswamy, faculty and program coordinator for engineering technology. “Dillon and Juan have applied what they've learned in our engineering program to benefit our community."

Modernizing the Dam

The PUD said Dryden Dam is a low-head weir spanning the Wenatchee River, supporting local agriculture by diverting water into the Highline Irrigation Canal. The weir also includes a fish ladder and two fish-trapping systems supporting salmon research and hatchery programs for Chelan PUD, Grant PUD, and Yakama Nation.

Cornelius learned about Dryden Dam as a student employee at Chelan PUD last year.

How These Students Began Their Project

During a dam safety inspection with staff, Cornelus asked about potential capstone projects for his senior year. Cornelius and Martinez both took on the challenge to modernize Dryden Dam's decades-old mechanics with an electromechanical control system to improve data collection and automation.

“I would like to congratulate you on a project well thought out and well implemented,” said Commissioner Garry Arseneault. “The students coming before the board are impressive. This is fabulous. I’m enthused to see the quality and level of students graduating from Wenatchee Valley College.”

Chelan PUD hires an average of five college students a year for a variety of fields, including engineering, business analytics, information technology, and energy conservation.