Edison Sault Power Canal
Encyclopedia
The Edison Sault Power Canal supplies the Edison Sault hydroelectric plant, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
. Excavation of the canal began in September 1898 and was completed in June 1902.
from the headgates (intake) to the power house
is approximately 11850 ft (3,611.9 m).
The canal varies in width from 200 ft (61 m) to 220 ft (67.1 m) at water level and is approximately
24 ft (7.3 m) in depth. The water velocity
varies for various reasons but, at times, it can be up to 7 mph (3.1 m/s). The entrance to the canal is located at the eastern end of Ashmun Bay
and is controlled by four steel headgates. The upper quarter of the canal was excavated from rock while the remainder was dug into the earth and given a timber lining. The canal is designed to carry 30000 cu ft (849.5 m³) of water per second .
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
. Excavation of the canal began in September 1898 and was completed in June 1902.
Physical features
The length of the canalCanal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
from the headgates (intake) to the power house
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
is approximately 11850 ft (3,611.9 m).
The canal varies in width from 200 ft (61 m) to 220 ft (67.1 m) at water level and is approximately
24 ft (7.3 m) in depth. The water velocity
Velocity
In physics, velocity is speed in a given direction. Speed describes only how fast an object is moving, whereas velocity gives both the speed and direction of the object's motion. To have a constant velocity, an object must have a constant speed and motion in a constant direction. Constant ...
varies for various reasons but, at times, it can be up to 7 mph (3.1 m/s). The entrance to the canal is located at the eastern end of Ashmun Bay
Ashmun Bay
Ashmun Bay is a small bay that is a part of the Upper St. Mary's River. It receives water from Ashmun Creek, which drains much of the interior Sault Ste. Marie. It is surrounded by the city of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, with a city access ramp for small boats on the north shore. It is very shallow...
and is controlled by four steel headgates. The upper quarter of the canal was excavated from rock while the remainder was dug into the earth and given a timber lining. The canal is designed to carry 30000 cu ft (849.5 m³) of water per second .