Smith Mountain Dam
Encyclopedia
Smith Mountain Dam is concrete
arch dam
located on the Roanoke River
in Virginia
, creating Smith Mountain Lake
. The dam was built by Appalachian Power
(a division of American Electric Power
) between 1960 and 1963 for the purposes of hydroelectricity
via pumped-storage hydroelectricity
. Since the dam created Smith Mountain Lake
though, recreation and real estate have become popular.
began purchasing land and planning for a hydroelectricity
dam within the Smith Mountain Gorge that is split by the Roanoke River
. After several delays and the completion of engineering studies, construction began in 1960. Construction on the smaller Leesville Dam
also began downstream at this time as well. Concrete pouring began in 1961 and in 1962, the re-construction of roads and bridges that would be effected by the reservoir was complete.
Filling of the reservoir, Smith Mountain Lake
, began on September 24, 1963. In 1964, the first four hydro-electrical generator
s were installed.
The first commercial saturation dive
s were performed by Westinghouse
to replace faulty trash racks at 200 feet on the Dam in 1965.
On March 7, 1966, the reservoir was full. In 1979, a fifth hydro-electrical generator was installed, increasing the generation capacity to 656 MW.
with a combined installed capacity of 656 MW. Smith Mountain Lake Dam utilizes pumped-storage hydroelectricity
by which water that is released downstream can be pumped back into Smith Mountain Lake
for re-use. The Leesville Dam
regulates the Smith Mountain Lake's outflows and stores water to be pumped back into the Smith Mountain Lake for this purpose. Hydro-electricity is usually produced during high-demand times (day) and pumped back into the lake during low demand times (night). The Leesville Dam also produces hydro-electricity as well.
In December, 2009, The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
granted Appalachian Power
a new license to operate the hydro-electricity plant. The new 30-year license replaces the original 50-year license and also addresses recreational and environmental management.
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
arch dam
Arch dam
An arch dam is a type of dam that is curved and commonly built with concrete. The arch dam is a structure that is designed to curve upstream so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes...
located on the Roanoke River
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, creating Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake is a large reservoir in the Roanoke Region of Virginia, located southeast of the City of Roanoke and southwest of Lynchburg. The lake was created in 1963 by the Smith Mountain Dam impounding the Roanoke River. The majority of the south shore of the lake lies in Franklin County...
. The dam was built by Appalachian Power
Appalachian Power
Appalachian Power is a subsidiary of American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio. It is based in Charleston, West Virginia and owns the rights to Appalachian Power Park in Charleston...
(a division of American Electric Power
American Electric Power
American Electric Power is a major investor-owner electric utility in various parts of the United States. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S...
) between 1960 and 1963 for the purposes of hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
via pumped-storage hydroelectricity
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric power generation used by some power plants for load balancing. The method stores energy in the form of water, pumped from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation. Low-cost off-peak electric power is used to run the pumps...
. Since the dam created Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake is a large reservoir in the Roanoke Region of Virginia, located southeast of the City of Roanoke and southwest of Lynchburg. The lake was created in 1963 by the Smith Mountain Dam impounding the Roanoke River. The majority of the south shore of the lake lies in Franklin County...
though, recreation and real estate have become popular.
History
In the late 1920s, Appalachian PowerAppalachian Power
Appalachian Power is a subsidiary of American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio. It is based in Charleston, West Virginia and owns the rights to Appalachian Power Park in Charleston...
began purchasing land and planning for a hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
dam within the Smith Mountain Gorge that is split by the Roanoke River
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
. After several delays and the completion of engineering studies, construction began in 1960. Construction on the smaller Leesville Dam
Leesville Lake
Leesville Lake is a reservoir in Virginia, the United States used for Hydro-Electric power generation in conjunction with Smith Mountain Lake as a pump storage project....
also began downstream at this time as well. Concrete pouring began in 1961 and in 1962, the re-construction of roads and bridges that would be effected by the reservoir was complete.
Filling of the reservoir, Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake is a large reservoir in the Roanoke Region of Virginia, located southeast of the City of Roanoke and southwest of Lynchburg. The lake was created in 1963 by the Smith Mountain Dam impounding the Roanoke River. The majority of the south shore of the lake lies in Franklin County...
, began on September 24, 1963. In 1964, the first four hydro-electrical generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
s were installed.
The first commercial saturation dive
Saturation diving
Saturation diving is a diving technique that allows divers to reduce the risk of decompression sickness when they work at great depth for long periods of time....
s were performed by Westinghouse
Westinghouse Electric (1886)
Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
to replace faulty trash racks at 200 feet on the Dam in 1965.
On March 7, 1966, the reservoir was full. In 1979, a fifth hydro-electrical generator was installed, increasing the generation capacity to 656 MW.
Hydroelectric production
Smith Mountain Dam houses five hydroelectric generatorsGenerator
Generator may refer to:* Electrical generator* Engine-generator, an electrical generator, but with its own engine.* Generator , any of several closely related usages in mathematics.Computing:...
with a combined installed capacity of 656 MW. Smith Mountain Lake Dam utilizes pumped-storage hydroelectricity
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric power generation used by some power plants for load balancing. The method stores energy in the form of water, pumped from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation. Low-cost off-peak electric power is used to run the pumps...
by which water that is released downstream can be pumped back into Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake is a large reservoir in the Roanoke Region of Virginia, located southeast of the City of Roanoke and southwest of Lynchburg. The lake was created in 1963 by the Smith Mountain Dam impounding the Roanoke River. The majority of the south shore of the lake lies in Franklin County...
for re-use. The Leesville Dam
Leesville Lake
Leesville Lake is a reservoir in Virginia, the United States used for Hydro-Electric power generation in conjunction with Smith Mountain Lake as a pump storage project....
regulates the Smith Mountain Lake's outflows and stores water to be pumped back into the Smith Mountain Lake for this purpose. Hydro-electricity is usually produced during high-demand times (day) and pumped back into the lake during low demand times (night). The Leesville Dam also produces hydro-electricity as well.
In December, 2009, The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is the United States federal agency with jurisdiction over interstate electricity sales, wholesale electric rates, hydroelectric licensing, natural gas pricing, and oil pipeline rates...
granted Appalachian Power
Appalachian Power
Appalachian Power is a subsidiary of American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio. It is based in Charleston, West Virginia and owns the rights to Appalachian Power Park in Charleston...
a new license to operate the hydro-electricity plant. The new 30-year license replaces the original 50-year license and also addresses recreational and environmental management.