Edwards Dam
Dam in Maine, USA / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Edwards Dam?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Edwards Dam was a hydroelectric dam on the Kennebec River in the U.S. state of Maine. It was located in Augusta, Maine, about 40 miles (64 km) upstream from the Atlantic Ocean. Built in 1837 of timber and concrete, it was 917 feet (280 m) long and 24 feet (7.3 m) high. It is most famous for its removal in 1999, the first removal of a hydroelectric dam by the government against the wishes of the dam owner.[1]
Edwards Dam | |
---|---|
Location | Augusta, Maine, USA |
Coordinates | 44.3245°N 69.7714°W / 44.3245; -69.7714 |
Opening date | 1837 |
Demolition date | 1999 |
Dam and spillways | |
Impounds | Kennebec River |
Height | 24 feet (7.3 m) |
Length | 917 feet (280 m) |
The dam originally had a fish ladder, but it was destroyed by a flood shortly after construction. It suffered catastrophic breaches in 1839, 1846 and 1855. In 1999, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) refused the renewal of the dam license due to excessive negative environmental impacts, and the dam was removed, freeing a 17-mile (27 km) stretch of the Kennebec River that had been submerged for 162 years.[2]