Susquehanna river dams
Encyclopedia
The Susquehanna River
, in the Mid-Atlantic States
of the USA, has a collection of dams
. These dams are used for power generation, flood control
, navigation
and recreation
. These dams have local and regional environmental impacts on the river and the Chesapeake Bay
, both positive and negative.
The dams have a positive impact on the environment. They slow water, trapping silt and pollutants. Conowingo Dam
is credited with preventing much of the silt from Pennsylvania from reaching the Chesapeake Bay. The dam spillways can add oxygen to the water. The down stream side of dams is favored by aquatic birds, possibly because the fish that pass through the dam are a bit stunned. Conowingo Dam is noted for its Bald Eagle
s. Hydroelectric power is considered an environmentally friendly method of power generation.
The dams also make a negative impact on the environment. They raise the water level, altering the riparian environment. The upstream pools can become environmentally unsound below the surface, especially during summer. They block migratory fish, such as the American shad
. The dams from York Haven down to the Chesapeake all have fish ladder
s or lifts to mitigate this.
The dams have both a positive and negative impact on human society, outside of the environmental impacts above.
River dams have long been associated with power generation. In the past dams powered mills directly. Today dams are used both for direct hydroelectric generation and to form pools for cooling other forms of generation. Dams create navigable stretches of river where they may have been unnavigable before. The first dams at Sunbury, Pennsylvania
were to support year round ferry crossings.
The creation of dams does have negative impacts. Communities on the river edge are displaced, such as Conowingo
, Bald Friar, and Glen Cove, Maryland
in 1928. Longitudinal river navigation is impeded. Although the historic Susquehanna was very difficult to navigate most of the year. Timber rafts could come down in the spring high water, but very few boats went up the river, before the canals were built. The Conowingo Dam is located near "Smith's Falls", where John Smith
had to turn back while exploring the region in the early 17th century due to the impassable rapids.
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
, in the Mid-Atlantic States
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
of the USA, has a collection of dams
DAMS
Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,...
. These dams are used for power generation, flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
, navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
and recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
. These dams have local and regional environmental impacts on the river and the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
, both positive and negative.
Environmental impacts
- And by making it more Susquehanna specific.
The dams have a positive impact on the environment. They slow water, trapping silt and pollutants. Conowingo Dam
Conowingo Dam
The Conowingo Dam is a large hydroelectric dam in the Lower Susquehanna River. The dam, one of the largest non-federal hydroelectric dams in the US, is classified as a medium height, masonry gravity type dam...
is credited with preventing much of the silt from Pennsylvania from reaching the Chesapeake Bay. The dam spillways can add oxygen to the water. The down stream side of dams is favored by aquatic birds, possibly because the fish that pass through the dam are a bit stunned. Conowingo Dam is noted for its Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s. Hydroelectric power is considered an environmentally friendly method of power generation.
The dams also make a negative impact on the environment. They raise the water level, altering the riparian environment. The upstream pools can become environmentally unsound below the surface, especially during summer. They block migratory fish, such as the American shad
American shad
-Introduction:The American shad or Atlantic shad, Alosa sapidissima, is a species of anadromous fish in family Clupeidae of order Clupeiformes. It is not closely related to the other North American shads...
. The dams from York Haven down to the Chesapeake all have fish ladder
Fish ladder
A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass or fish steps, is a structure on or around artificial barriers to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration. Most fishways enable fish to pass around the barriers by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps into the waters on...
s or lifts to mitigate this.
Human impacts
- And by making it more Susquehanna specific.
The dams have both a positive and negative impact on human society, outside of the environmental impacts above.
River dams have long been associated with power generation. In the past dams powered mills directly. Today dams are used both for direct hydroelectric generation and to form pools for cooling other forms of generation. Dams create navigable stretches of river where they may have been unnavigable before. The first dams at Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, just downstream of the confluence of its main and West branches. The population was 9,905 at the 2010 census...
were to support year round ferry crossings.
The creation of dams does have negative impacts. Communities on the river edge are displaced, such as Conowingo
Conowingo, Maryland
Conowingo is a small community in western Cecil County, Maryland, USA.Conowingo is a Susquehannock word for "at the rapids".Conowingo was originally located on the eastern bank of the Susquehanna River at the confluence of the Conowingo Creek with the river...
, Bald Friar, and Glen Cove, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in 1928. Longitudinal river navigation is impeded. Although the historic Susquehanna was very difficult to navigate most of the year. Timber rafts could come down in the spring high water, but very few boats went up the river, before the canals were built. The Conowingo Dam is located near "Smith's Falls", where John Smith
John Smith of Jamestown
Captain John Smith Admiral of New England was an English soldier, explorer, and author. He was knighted for his services to Sigismund Bathory, Prince of Transylvania and friend Mózes Székely...
had to turn back while exploring the region in the early 17th century due to the impassable rapids.
List of Dams
Listed from the headwaters toward the mouth of the river. This includes existing and historic structures, as well as dams off the river that have a major impact on the river. The river also grows its own ice dams during the winter and notable ones will be included.New York
- Natural geologic formation at CooperstownCooperstown, New YorkCooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
that forms Otsego Lake, the headwaters of the Susquehanna. - Power generating dam at Goodyear Lake (Colliersville, NY). The dam creates a small lake used for motor boating and waterskiing.
- Rockbottom Dam
- partial dam just above confluence of Chenango RiverChenango RiverThe Chenango River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in central New York in the United States. It drains a dissected plateau area in upstate New York at the northern end of the Susquehanna watershed....
- BinghamtonBinghamton, New YorkBinghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
dam (low head) - Johnson CityJohnson City, New YorkJohnson City is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 15,535 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
Goudy Station Power Plant Dam
Pennsylvania
- OaklandOakland, PennsylvaniaOakland is the name of some locations in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania:* Oakland , a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Oakland, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania* Oakland, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania...
Dam (Dam is structurally deficient and has a 45 foot hole in it) - Wilkes-Barre Dam (proposed, inflatable)
- Nanticoke Dam (former canal feeder) 1830-1901
- Nanticoke Dam (proposed, inflatable)
Pennsylvania
- Curwensville DamCurwensville DamCurwensville Dam is located on the West Branch Susquehanna River about 0.6 miles upstream from Curwensville in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. The dam is an earth fill structure 2,850 feet long, rising 131 feet above the stream bed, with a spillway and gate-controlled outlet...
- Shawville Dam (low head)
- Lock Haven Dam (low head)
- Williamsport Dam (low head)
Pennsylvania
- Shamokin DamAdam T. Bower Memorial DamThe Adam T. Bower Memorial Dam is the world's longest inflatable dam. The dam is located just below the confluence of the Western and Main Branches of the Susquehanna, between the town of Shamokin Dam and the city of Sunbury, Pennsylvania.The dam is 2,100 feet long...
(original low head navigation and canal feeder) (18??-1904, replaced by Bower Dam) - Adam T. Bower Memorial DamAdam T. Bower Memorial DamThe Adam T. Bower Memorial Dam is the world's longest inflatable dam. The dam is located just below the confluence of the Western and Main Branches of the Susquehanna, between the town of Shamokin Dam and the city of Sunbury, Pennsylvania.The dam is 2,100 feet long...
near Sunbury, PennsylvaniaSunbury, PennsylvaniaSunbury is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, just downstream of the confluence of its main and West branches. The population was 9,905 at the 2010 census... - Shamokin Dam power plant low head dam
- Clarks Ferry Dam (former canal feeder) near Duncannon, PennsylvaniaDuncannon, PennsylvaniaDuncannon is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,508 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. The center of population of Pennsylvania is located in Duncannon. It is named after the coastal town of...
- Dock Street DamDock Street DamThe Dock Street Dam is a low-head dam that crosses the Susquehanna River between the Shipoke neighborhood of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on the east shore and Lemoyne on the west shore. It gives the Susquehanna recreational depth south of the Taylor Bridge. Turbulence downstream of the dam contrasts...
(low head) in Harrisburg, PennsylvaniaHarrisburg, PennsylvaniaHarrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
(replacement planning under way) - York Haven DamYork Haven DamYork Haven Dam is a low head, run-of-the river, dam and hydroelectric plant on the Susquehanna River, United States. The dam is south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at the Conewago Falls, where the river drops 19 feet in 1/4 mile...
- Wrightsville (Columbia) Dam (1840)Wrightsville (Columbia) Dam (1840)The Wrightsville Dam was a 19th century dam on the lower Susquehanna River between Wrightsville and Columbia, Pennsylvania.The low-head dam was constructed in 1840 to impound the waters of the Susquehanna to provide a slackwater pool to allow the safe passage of canal boats from the Pennsylvania...
(low head, former canal feeder, demolished) - Safe Harbor DamSafe Harbor DamThe Safe Harbor Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the lower Susquehanna River with an associated hydroelectric power station. It is the most northerly and last of three Great Depression-era public electrification projects' hydroelectric dams and was constructed between 1 April 1930 and 7 December...
- Holtwood DamHoltwood DamHoltwood Dam is the oldest of three major dams built across the lower Susquehanna River, and the middle location of the three. It was constructed as the McCalls Ferry Dam between 1905 and 1910 by the Pennsylvania Water & Power Company...
- Muddy Run Pumped Storage FacilityMuddy Run Pumped Storage FacilityMuddy Run Pumped Storage Facility is a pumped-storage hydroelectric generation facility in Drumore Township, Pennsylvania, USA. When completed in 1968, Muddy Run was the largest pumped-storage facility in the world...
(draws from and flows into the Conowingo Reservoir (river))
- Muddy Run Pumped Storage Facility