Dayton Hollow Dam Explained

Dayton Hollow Dam
Coordinates:46.2308°N -96.1175°W
Purpose:Hydro Power
Fish & Wildlife Pond
Status:In use
Construction Began:1907
Opening:1909
Owner:Otter Tail Power Company
Dam Type:G
Dam Crosses:Otter Tail River
Dam Height Foundation:NaN41
Dam Length:NaN256
Spillway Count:1
Spillway Type:7 controlled sluice gates
Spillway Capacity:NaN2000
Res Name:Dayton Hollow Reservoir
Res Capacity Total:NaN5000
Res Catchment:NaN1810
Res Elevation:NaN1073[1]
Plant Type:C
Plant Hydraulic Head:NaN36
Plant Turbines:3
Plant Capacity:1.0 MW
Extra:NIDID# MN00196

Dayton Hollow Dam is a hydroelectric gravity dam on the Otter Tail River in Otter Tail County, Minnesota in the United States. It is located 5 miles southwest of the city of Fergus Falls. Completed in 1909, it is the first power plant built by the Otter Tail Power Company and is one of five dams on the river. Together, they produce about 3.5 megawatts of power.

Shortly after becoming operational, Dayton Hollow Dam narrowly avoided destruction. The city-owned Fergus Falls City Light Station, several miles upstream, abruptly failed in the early hours of September 24, 1909. Three other dams between the disaster site and Dayton Hollow were swept away and a fourth (Central / Wright) was badly damaged. Otter Tail Power Company president Vernon Wright received enough advance warning to reach his dam by 6:15am and open the spillway. The only flood recorded in the history of the river was due to this disaster.

The license for the hydroelectric plant expires on November 30, 2021. In June 2016 the company filed a pre-application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to re-license the station with no changes to existing facilities or operations. The process will take 5 years.

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Notes and References

  1. http://www.topozone.com/minnesota/otter-tail-mn/reservoir/dayton-hollow-reservoir/ Dayton Hollow Reservoir