michigan earth filled embankment dam powerplant complex michigan built direction predecessor foot high dam billion gallons billion imp gal billion water acre reservoir capable producing kilowatts peak outflow listed national_register_of_historic_places history history dam history brothers adrian michigan burgeoning electric power empire jackson based civil engineer designed similar hydroelectric plants midwest year old mill operator adrian michigan common occurrence provided space shaft power mill wheel local electric utility light fascinated potential year enlisted year old brother james moved jackson michigan jointly founded predecessor company began lighting downtown jackson electrically brothers set similar city specific companies adrian years cases dams built mills like refit electric generators cases new dams constructed familiarity technology technology improved scope projects ambitious predecessor projects brothers projects jackson adrian like electric power projects created street lighting limited residential business lighting transmission electricity long distances understood situated near cities served demand power growing driven things advent increased industrial use electricity capacity smaller rivers existing dams larger rivers sought brothers working engineering partner constructed dam order supply city dam located near miles away city distance time major hydroelectric project initially power loss transmission problems dam successfully provided power larger area previous dams brothers advanced state art electric transmission equipment large power market turned attention advised brothers possible locations second largest outflow inland non connecting river michigan larger basin largest outflow michigan inland rivers unlike grand dams cause difficulty river traffic subsidiary holding company commissioned construction dam rogers upstream finished located little joins east ambitious project village submerged lake began filling august dispatched oversee construction served chief engineer construction developed new methods construction earth embankment dams foundations soft soils use hydraulic dam built summer june september powerhouse sections dam completed conventional contemporary engineering designs built pumping plant employing seven electric powered pumps river water inch pipeline bluff feet diameter reduction inches increased pressure psi water fed flexible rubber high pressure streams water carried away soil water mix iron routed material feet slight dam site material deposited layered water allowed drain phase river allowed run powerhouse earliest examples use technique east mississippi_river chief advantage hydraulic method cost total cost constructing foot long embankment contained cubic yards material cents cubic yard material moved method construct fill cubic yards highway bridge crossing immediately downstream dam fill built highway bridge approach cost roughly powerhouse adjoining connected buildings generator building west turbine building east arranged shape oak timber support concrete foundation perimeter walls supported sheet steel prevent water foundation buildings feet height warren supporting roofs extend feet reinforced concrete retaining walls extend feet upstream northeast northwest corners generator building forming triangle serve anchor floating trash boom keeps refuse turbine pits similar triangle formed reinforced concrete retaining walls extending feet south generator building concrete retaining wall extends additional feet south tip triangle generator building went operation housed horizontal generators originally rated volts operating rpm producing phase cycle driven turbines voltage stepped volts delta connected oil cooled capacity regulated oil switches switch gear housed south end generator building plant completed grand opening held september village named hudson new_york contemporary accounts report mayor large contingent city business officials north village special train touring big dam nearby field fine dinner followed friendly baseball game order achieve efficient power transmission miles high voltage line built highest voltage transmission line world wizard general_electric visited site conducted tests transmission lines line voltage increased volts early modifications significant expansion generating capacity carried additional turbines generators added distinction buildings generator building got pairs horizontal turbines drive horizontal generators pair turbines rated horsepower operated rpm hydraulic head feet operating voltage original horizontal generators raised volts corresponding increase line voltage volts turbine building modified equipment resulting walls addition similar appearance generator building higher floor generator building received pair vertical turbine generator sets switching equipment removed generator building separate went service west shortly rogers dams joined hardy dam situated hardy major hydroelectric project constructed michigan completed foot dam later billion gallons billion imp gal billion water acre reservoir capable producing kilowatts peak outflow legacy historical marker sign placed completion read predecessor today built plant transmission line highest voltage use time attracted international attention curious spectators rode excursion trains site received tour dam powerhouse grand dinner plant went service september represented latest advances electric power generation transmission engineers russia england france italy japan india came tour plant opened facility listed national_register_of_historic_places listed awarded michigan historical marker site marker replaced new site listed national_register_of_historic_places structure impact controversy advanced state art hydroelectric engineering submerged significant sections scenic fast flowing stretches little rivers believe dams divide mile long river shorter dysfunctional units blocks passage fish river section allegedly causes potentially harmful changes water temperature oxygen levels stretch river downstream dam according company data dam threatened rainfall flood september hardy nearly failed peak flood caused storm dumped inches rain hours officials stated hardy dam failed dam washed away community submerged feet water subsequently michigan state fisheries director characterized hydroelectric dams concrete steel monsters suggested dams removed rivers local officials gathered petition signatures people supported keeping dams federal government dams required operating changes reducing harmful effects current status dam hydroelectric plant owned operated electric power company headquartered jackson michigan generated million hours electricity satisfy annual electric consumption residential customers dams rogers hardy owned operated operated different modes concert net run river effect water flow rogers little runs run river mode passing water receives hardy work concert hardy larger capacity reservoir larger turbines upstream runs peaking mode meaning river flow generate electricity peak demand periods causes wide fluctuations water flows reservoir levels typically low outflow night power demand lowest peaking common outflow fluctuations common immediately downstream river segment stretches hardy outlet run regulation mode allowing natural flow rate exit reservoir level hardy rising day lowering night hardy reservoir large reservoir level inches total reservoir inches winter spring runoff hardy allowed drawn feet meet winter power demand required return normal levels end april spring dams rogers hardy generate kilowatts hardy
Croton Dam (Michigan)