Alcona Dam is a hydro-electric dam on the Au Sable River in

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

Background

This hydro-electric dam is capable of producing 8,000

kilowatts The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...

. It is currently named after the county where it is located, but was originally named for a nearby road called Bamfield. Work began on Bamfield Dam in 1917, but the project stalled due to unstable sand and

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Construction resumed in 1923, and Alcona Hydro began commercial operation in 1924. The drop in elevation is approximately , depending on the time of year.

References

Energy infrastructure completed in 1924 Hydroelectric power plants in Michigan Dams in Michigan Buildings and structures in Alcona County, Michigan Consumers Energy dams Dams completed in 1924 1924 establishments in Michigan {{US-dam-stub