Rogers Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rogers Dam |
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Dam, powerhouse and spillway
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 Location of Rogers Dam in United States
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Mecosta Township, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 43°36′47.77″N 85°28′43.56″W / 43.6132694°N 85.4787667°W |
| Purpose | Power |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1905 |
| Opening date | 1906 |
| Owner(s) | Consumers Energy |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment, earth-fill |
| Impounds | Muskegon River |
| Height | 43 ft (13 m) |
| Length | 800 ft (240 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Rogers Dam Pond |
| Total capacity | 10,000 acre⋅ft (12,000,000 m3) |
| Surface area | 810 acres (3.3 km2) |
| Power station | |
| Commission date | 1922 |
| Type | Run-of-the-river |
| Hydraulic head | 39.2 ft (11.9 m) |
| Turbines | 4 x 1.7 MW Francis-type |
| Installed capacity | 6.8 MW |
The Rogers Dam is a special kind of wall built across the Muskegon River in Mecosta Township, Michigan, United States. It's like a big earthen barrier that holds back water. This dam is located about six miles (9.7 km) south of a town called Big Rapids.
The main job of Rogers Dam is to create electricity using the power of flowing water. It's an important part of how homes and businesses in the area get their power.
Rogers Dam: Making Clean Energy
Rogers Dam is an example of an earth-filled embankment dam. This means it's built mostly from earth, like dirt and rocks, to create a strong wall. It holds back the water of the Muskegon River, forming a pond behind it called Rogers Dam Pond.
The dam is owned and run by a company called Consumers Energy. They use the dam to make clean energy. This type of energy is called hydroelectric power because it comes from water.
How the Dam Makes Power
Inside the dam, there's a power plant. This plant uses the water stored behind the dam to spin large machines called turbines. When the turbines spin, they turn generators that make electricity. It's a bit like a giant water wheel that powers a city!
The Rogers Dam power plant can produce 6.8 megawatts (MW) of electricity. That's enough power for many homes and businesses.
A Look at Its History
Building Rogers Dam started in 1905, and it began making electricity in March 1906. It's one of the oldest power plants still running for Consumers Energy.
Something interesting happened in 1921. On December 22, the original power plant at the dam was destroyed by a fire. But the company didn't give up! They rebuilt it even stronger. The new plant was finished in 1922 and could make more electricity than before.
Rogers Dam is part of a group of dams on the Muskegon River. Consumers Energy also owns the Hardy Dam and Croton Dam, which are located further downstream from Rogers Dam. These dams all work together to provide power and manage the river.
