Hardy Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hardy Dam |
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Hardy Dam and Powerhouse
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Big Prairie Township, Newaygo County, Michigan |
| Purpose | Power |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1929 |
| Opening date | 1931 |
| Owner(s) | Consumers Energy |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment, earth-fill |
| Impounds | Muskegon River |
| Height | 120 ft (37 m) |
| Length | 2,600 ft (790 m) |
| Width (crest) | 25 ft (7.6 m) |
| Width (base) | 1,000 ft (300 m) |
| Dam volume | 1,500,000 cu yd (1,100,000 m3) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 134,000 acre⋅ft (165,000,000 m3) |
| Surface area | 4,000 acres (16 km2) |
| Power station | |
| Commission date | 1931 |
| Type | Conventional |
| Hydraulic head | 99 ft (30 m) |
| Turbines | 1 x 11.5 MW, 2 x 10 MW Francis-type |
| Installed capacity | 31.5 MW |
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Hardy Hydroelectric Plant
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Newaygo, Michigan |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | Burd, Edward M. |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 97001479 |
| Added to NRHP | Dec. 1, 1997 |
The Hardy Dam, also known as the Hardy Hydroelectric Plant, is a huge dam and power station built on the Muskegon River in Michigan, USA. It's located in Big Prairie Township, Newaygo County. When it was finished, it was the biggest earth-filled dam east of the Mississippi River in North America! The dam creates a large lake with more than 50 miles of shoreline. This lake covers about 4,000 acres (that's like 3,000 football fields!). The power plant at the dam can make 31.5 megawatts of electricity.
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Building the Hardy Dam
Building the Hardy Dam was a big project that started in 1929. Consumers Energy had planned it for many years.
Design and Construction Teams
The dam was designed by William G. Fargo, and his company, Fargo Engineering, built it. Another company, Allied Engineers, started building the power plant in the fall of 1929.
River Diversion and Dam Completion
In August 1930, the Muskegon River was moved through special pipes called penstocks to allow dam construction. The main part of the dam, made of earth, was finished by March 1931. Workers used about 1.5 million cubic yards of sand and gravel to build it. Both the dam and the power plant were fully ready by the end of 1931.
Who Was Hardy Dam Named After?
Edward M. Burd, who was in charge of civil engineering for a company linked to Consumers Energy, led the construction. The dam and power plant are named after George E. Hardy. He was a financial partner who helped fund Consumers Energy's projects for many years.
Dam Upgrades and History
In September 1986, a big flood caused the water in the reservoir to rise about 8 feet above its normal level. This caused some water to leak, but engineers fixed it. The Hardy Dam was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1997. This honor recognized the unique Spanish Colonial Revival style of the power plant buildings. In 2008, one of the dam's turbines was upgraded, making it even more powerful.
Historical Marker at the Dam
A special sign at the dam tells its story:
- The Hardy Hydroelectric Plant was built between 1929 and 1931.
- It was named after George Hardy, who helped fund Consumers Power Company.
- The buildings, like the powerhouse, have a Spanish Colonial Revival style.
- This was the last traditional hydroelectric plant built by Consumers Energy.
- The Hardy plant is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fun Activities at Hardy Dam
The area around the Hardy Dam is a great place for outdoor fun!
Camping and Boating
There are about 2,000 campsites, several places to launch boats, and a marina. You can find parks like Sandy Beach Park, Newaygo State Park, Brower Park, Ox Bow Park, and Big Bend Park around the dam's lake.
Fishing and Nature Trails
The lake is excellent for fishing, with salmon, trout, walleye, bass, and perch. There's also a fantastic nature trail system. This three-mile path follows the Muskegon River and has 26 different types of trees with signs to identify them. You might even spot wild turkeys, grouse, bald eagles, beavers, minks, and otters!
How the Muskegon Dams Work Together
The Hardy Dam is one of three dams on the Muskegon River owned by Consumers Energy. The others are Rogers and Croton. They all work together to manage the river's flow and make electricity.
Working in Harmony
- The Rogers Dam lets water pass through almost as fast as it receives it.
- The Hardy Dam and Croton Dam work together. Hardy Dam, which is bigger and upstream, stores water and releases it to make electricity when people need it most (during "peak demand"). This can cause the river's flow to change a lot.
- However, the Croton Dam, which is right downstream, helps to even out the flow. It acts like a "re-regulation" dam, making sure the water leaving the system flows at a more natural rate.
Water Levels and Power Generation
Because the Hardy Dam's lake is so large, its water level only changes a little bit (about 4 inches). The Croton Dam's lake changes more, about 9 inches. In winter and spring, the Hardy Dam's water level can be lowered more to meet power needs, but it must return to normal by the end of April.
Together, the three dams on the Muskegon River can produce about 45,500 kilowatts of electricity. Hardy Dam alone makes about 30,000 kilowatts. This is enough power for nearly 23,000 homes!
Images for kids
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Historical Marker at the site
