River Mill Hydroelectric Project facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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River Mill Hydroelectric Project
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River Mill dam c. 1911
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 Location in Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Estacada, Oregon |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1911 |
| Architect | Nils F. Ambursen, Puget Sound Bridge & Dredging Co. |
| Architectural style | Hydroelectric facility |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000497 |
| Added to NRHP | May 10, 2001 |
The River Mill Hydroelectric Project is a special dam and power plant in Oregon. It's also called the River Mill Dam or Station M. This project is located near Estacada, Oregon, on the Clackamas River. It helps make electricity for many homes and businesses.
Since 1911, this dam has been making electricity using water power. The Portland Railway, Light and Power Company paid for it back then. The River Mill Project is one of four important dams on the Clackamas River. The others are the Oak Grove, North Fork, and Faraday dams. Today, Portland General Electric owns and runs all four of these dams.
How the Dam Was Built
The main person who designed the original River Mill Dam was Nils F. Ambursen. He was an engineer from Norway. Ambursen lived in Boston and had a company that designed many dams. From 1903 to 1917, his company designed over 100 dams in the United States.
A Special Design
Ambursen had a special way of building dams. He used a design called a concrete-slab-and-buttress dam. This was a big step forward in dam building at the time. It made dams stronger and more efficient.
The River Mill Dam is one of only three dams like this built west of the Mississippi River. It is also the only one of these three that is still standing today. This makes the River Mill Dam very unique and important.
A Historic Place
The River Mill Hydroelectric Project is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site in the United States. It is also listed in the Oregon Historic Sites Database. This shows how important the dam is to Oregon's history.
