Martinsville Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Martinsville Dam |
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 Location of Martinsville Dam in Virginia
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Martinsville, Henry County, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 36°39′52.39″N 79°53′00.35″W / 36.6645528°N 79.8834306°W |
| Purpose | Power |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1924 |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Smith River |
| Height | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Length | 575 ft (175 m) |
| Power station | |
| Hydraulic head | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Turbines | 2 |
| Installed capacity | 1.3 MW |
The Martinsville Dam is a special structure on the Smith River in Martinsville, Virginia. It was finished in 1924. This dam helps create electricity for the city of Martinsville.
Martinsville Dam: Powering a City
The Martinsville Dam is a type of dam called a gravity dam. This means it uses its own weight to hold back the water. It is built on the Smith River. The dam is located in the city of Martinsville, Virginia.
How the Dam Makes Electricity
The dam has a power plant inside it. This plant can make 1.3 megawatts (MW) of electricity. A megawatt is a very large unit of power. This electricity is then used to power homes and businesses in Martinsville. The Martinsville Electric Department runs both the dam and the power plant.
A Look Back: The Dam's History
The Martinsville Dam was completed in 1924. But even before this dam, there was an older "mill dam" in the same spot. Mill dams were used to power mills, like those that ground grain. The current dam continues to serve the community by providing power.
