Bloede's Dam

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bloede's Dam

The remains of Bloede's dam (as of 1930s or 1940s)
Official name Bloede's Dam
Location Catonsville / Ilchester, Maryland
Coordinates 39°14′49″N 76°45′40″W / 39.247023°N 76.761083°W / 39.247023; -76.761083Coordinates: 39°14′49″N 76°45′40″W / 39.247023°N 76.761083°W / 39.247023; -76.761083
Opening date 1907
Dam and spillways
Impounds Patapsco River
Length 220 feet (67 m)
Height 26 1⁄2 feet (8.1 m)
Width (base) 40 feet (12 m)
Recorded National Historical site[citation needed]

Bloede's Dam was a hydroelectric dam on the Patapsco River in Maryland. It was the first known instance of a submerged hydroelectric plant, where the power plant was actually housed under the spillway. It is also recognized as one of the earliest dams constructed of reinforced concrete. This area is now part of Patapsco Valley State Park Avalon Area.[3]

History and design

An image of the 34-inch Poole & Hunt Leffel Wheels and the 30-inch Samson Turbine.[2]

The Patapsco Electric and Manufacturing company, of Ellicott City, brought fame to the Patapsco River corridor in 1906 when it constructed the world's first underwater hydroelectric plant to supply its electricity. Victor Gustav Bloede (pronounced as Blerda), a German immigrant who founded of the Avalon Water Works in the same area, was its president at the time, and for whom the dam was named. Bloede hired electrical engineer Otto Wonder to oversee the development of this unique hydroelectric project near Gray's Mill on the Patapsco River. The dam itself was 220 feet (67 m) long, 40 feet (12 m) wide at the base and had a drop of 26.5 feet (8.1 m). It was an Ambursen Hydraulic Construction Company (Boston type) reinforced concrete slab and buttress dam. The power plant technology and equipment were state of the art when it went into operation in 1907, with 34-inch Poole & Hunt Leffel Wheels and 30-inch Samson Turbines.

In its original plan, the plant was meant as an independent competitor to the local electric companies, and supplied power to the surrounding towns, many of which were outside of the utilities' service area. In 1912, the plant was sold to Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power, a predecessor company of Constellation Energy, in ca. 1912 and continued to generate electrical power within its interior until 1924 when it was closed due to the competition of larger, more powerful plants. Although the dam was severely damaged by the flood of Hurricane Agnes 1972, much of the dam still stands, although the dam has been gutted leaving only a mud filled shell. The gate house structures which did survive have been removed since the storm left them unsafe. In 1992 the Department of Natural Resources added a fish ladder to allow migrating fish to swim upstream without being blocked by the dam. More controversy has risen about the American eel in that the dam blocks their passage as well.

Removal

The removal of Bloede's Dam is in the design stage.[4] Two dams upstream of Bloede's Dam, Simkins and Union, were removed in 2010. Removal of Bloede's Dam will leave Daniels Dam as the last remaining dam along the main branch of the Patapsco River.

The Bloede Dam as it once stood in ca. 1907[1]

See also

Footnotes and References

Much of the information found here was provided by the Baltimore County Public Library.

  1. ↑ Used with permission from the Baltimore County Public Library. "Photograph Bloede dam ca. 1907". Retrieved October 3, 2007. 
  2. ↑ Used with permission from the Baltimore County Public Library. "Photograph Bloede turbine generators ca. 1907". Retrieved October 3, 2007. 
  3. ↑ Bryan MacKay. Baltimore Trails: A Guide for Hikers and Mountain Bikers. p. 4. 
  4. ↑ "Fourth National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration: Field Trip Agenda". 

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.