The Vergennes Dams - Vergennes, Vermont
Posted by: gemeloj
N 44° 10.007 W 073° 15.350
18T E 639445 N 4891876
A nice dams create for electricity purposes.
Waymark Code: WMM547
Location: Vermont, United States
Date Posted: 07/23/2014
Views: 3
''Waterfalls are powerful natural forces that can generate electricity. Falling water is used to turn a turbine that drives
an electric generator. Rainwater and mountain snowmelt flows
downhill via thousands of streams that merge into a larger river.
In Vergennes, Otter Creek flows over a natural, solid rock ledge and falls 37 feet on its 102-mile journey to Lake Champlain.
In 1911, a dam (1) of concrete and wooden boards was built on top of the rock ledge.
A concrete culvert, called a forebay (2), directs the water flow to the entrance of two large pipes, called penstocks (5), nine feet in diameter and 65 feet long.
Debris is prevented from entering the penstocks by trash racks (3).
The water can be shut off to the pipes by large metal head
gates (4) that can be raised or lowered.''
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