Smith Mountain Dam and Lake / James A. Nagy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nagy, James A., author.

Series:

Images of America.

Images of America

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Reservoirs--Virginia--Pittsylvania County--History--Pictorial works.

Reservoirs.

Dams--Virginia--Pittsylvania County--History--Pictorial works.

Dams.

Pittsylvania County (Va.)--History, Local--Pictorial works.

Pittsylvania County (Va.).

Smith Mountain Lake (Va.)--History--Pictorial works.

Smith Mountain Lake (Va.).

Smith Mountain Lake Region (Va.)--History--Pictorial works.

Smith Mountain Lake Region (Va.).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (127 pages) : illustrations.

Place of Publication:

Charleston, South Carolina : Arcadia, [2015]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Explore the vibrant history of Smith Mountain Dam in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. The construction of a dam in the gap of Smith Mountain in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, had been considered as early as the 1920s. However, the dam's construction did not begin until 1960. Smith Mountain Dam closed the gap completely in 1963, and Smith Mountain Lake began to fill and form behind it. The hydroelectric dam consists of 175, 000 cubic yards of concrete and has the capacity to generate 605 megawatts of electricity for up to 11 hours. Smith Mountain Dam is part of a two-dam system on the Roanoke River, and its companion dam, the Leesville Dam, is a smaller structure designed to pump water back to Smith Mountain Lake and to also generate hydroelectric power for American Electric Power (AEP) customers. Smith Mountain Lake covers 20, 000 acres and has a 500-mile shoreline, which borders Franklin, Pittsylvania, and Bedford Counties. Over the years, development near and around Smith Mountain Lake has exploded, and this has presented both opportunities and challenges in regard to stewardship of the area's natural resources. James A. Nagy, author of Images of America: Franklin County, presents images from various collections, including the AEP archives, showing the construction and development of Smith Mountain Dam and Lake.

Contents:

Before the dam

Construction at Smith Mountain

Rising water

The Leesville Dam

Filled to capacity

Welcome to the Smith Mountain Project

Roads and bridges

Developments and attractions.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references (page 127).

ISBN:

9781439650264

1439650268