Dam Facts

Dam Facts. . , Working Before Its Time , On November 25, 1950 storm clouds covered the sky and heavy rains fell causing the water to rise in the upper Genesee River. Severe flooding inundated upstream towns and villages. Many families were rescued from their homes by boat. Town roadways and the State highway were under water. Although construction of Mount Morris Dam was not yet complete, the dam was able to prevent flood damages downstream., Worth Its Weight , Mount Morris Dam weighs a total of 1,600,000 tons, This is the equivalent of 320,000 full grown adult elephants., Construction Manpower , Over 400 people worked on the dam during its four year construction period. Sadly, two men died because of work-related incidents. , Harnessing The River , Nine tunnel like structures known as conduits are located at the base of the dam. The conduits allow water from the upstream side of the dam to flow through the dam, to the downstream side, and control the river flow. Mount Morris Dam Operations Staff are required to monitor the weather conditions and reports in both Pennsylvania and New York, to determine the number of conduits to be opened and closed. When fully open, each conduit measures 5 feet wide by 7 feet high and is large enough to allow a small vehicle, such as a Volkswagen Beetle, to drive through. , Typically, 3 to 3.5 conduits remain open during dry weather conditions. During periods of rain and “high water” events, 1 to 2 conduits typically remain open. In large storms, similar to the magnitude of Hurricane Agnes in 1972, all gates are closed to hold water behind the dam.,