Dock Street Dam

Last updated
Dock Street Dam
Dock Street Dam Construction.jpg
Completed reinforced-concrete dam across Susquehanna River at Harrisburg
Official nameDock Street Dam
Location Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Shipoke) and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 40°14′55″N76°52′43″W / 40.24861°N 76.87861°W / 40.24861; -76.87861
Opening date1913
Dam and spillways
Impounds Susquehanna River
Height6 feet
Length3,460 feet (1,050 m)
Reservoir
Creates Susquehanna River

The Dock Street Dam is a low-head dam that crosses the Susquehanna River between the Shipoke neighborhood of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on the east shore and Lemoyne on the west shore. It is constructed of hollow, reinforced concrete buttress dam and was built to create recreational depth as a 3-mile lake, provide floor control, prevent mosquitos, and minimize odors. [1] Turbulence downstream of the dam contrasts sharply with the usually placid, lake-like river above the dam. In spite of the dam the Susquehanna is often just a few feet deep at Harrisburg. Proposals have been made to raise the height of the dam in order to enhance the river's navigability and recreational potential, although the suggestion remains controversial. [2] The present structure has been criticized as creating currents downstream that can draw small boats upstream into the dam, an effect that has been cited in at least seventeen drownings. [3] Since 1935, there have been over 30 documented fatalities because of the dam. [4] Solutions have been proposed, including the piling of stone or concrete debris south of the dam to disrupt the current, but have not been implemented.

Dock Street, which was between Hanna and Hemlock streets in the Shipoke neighborhood ran east from Front Street to Ninth Street, was eliminated when Interstate 83 and the John Harris Bridge were built.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrisburg, Pennsylvania</span> Capital city of Pennsylvania, United States

Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of 2021, Harrisburg is the ninth-most populous city in Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia, Pennsylvania</span> Borough in Pennsylvania, United States

Columbia, formerly Wright's Ferry, is a borough (town) in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 10,222. It is 28 miles (45 km) southeast of Harrisburg, on the east (left) bank of the Susquehanna River, across from Wrightsville and York County and just south of U.S. Route 30.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 83</span> Interstate Highway in Pennsylvania and Maryland

Interstate 83 (I-83) is an Interstate Highway located in the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania in the Eastern United States. Its southern terminus is at a signalized intersection with Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland; its northern terminus is at I-81 near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I-83 runs from Downtown Baltimore north to I-695 near the northern suburb of Timonium on the Jones Falls Expressway before forming a concurrency with I-695. After splitting from I-695, the route follows the Baltimore–Harrisburg Expressway north to the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania. Upon crossing the state line, I-83 becomes the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Memorial Highway and continues north through York toward the Harrisburg area. The route runs along the southern and eastern portion of the Capital Beltway that encircles Harrisburg before reaching its northern terminus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susquehanna River</span> Major river in the Northeastern United States

The Susquehanna River is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast. At 444 miles (715 km) long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the United States. By watershed area, it is the 16th-largest river in the United States, and also the longest river in the early 21st-century continental United States without commercial boat traffic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keystone Lake</span> Dam in Oklahoma Pawnee / Osage / Creek / Tulsa counties, Oklahoma

Keystone Lake is a reservoir in northeastern Oklahoma on the Arkansas and Cimarron rivers. It is located upstream about 23 miles (37 km) from Tulsa. It was created in 1968 when the Keystone Dam was completed. The primary purposes are: flood control, hydroelectric power generation, wildlife management and recreation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raystown Lake</span> Man-made lake in Pennsylvania, United States

Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It is the largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania. The original lake was built by the Simpson family of Huntingdon as a hydroelectric project. The current 8,300-acre (34 km2) Raystown Lake was completed in 1973 by the Army Corps of Engineers. Raystown is around 200 feet (61 m) deep in the deepest area near the dam. The lake was created primarily to control floods, provide electricity, and support recreational activities. Allegheny Electric Cooperative operates the Raystown Hydroelectric Project and William F. Matson Generating Station at the Raystown Dam, a 21 MW, two-unit hydroelectric project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Bridge (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)</span> Bridge in Pennsylvania and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Bridge carries Norfolk Southern rail lines across the Susquehanna River between Lemoyne, Pennsylvania and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Some of its concrete piers encase stone masonry piers from an earlier truss bridge on this site, completed in 1891 by the Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh Railroad, which was then acquired by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad to connect its Harrisburg and Lurgan lines. The current structure was constructed from 1920 to 1924 by replacing the trusses with concrete arches one track at a time. The bridge has fifty-one concrete arches, three more than the nearby Rockville Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shipoke, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania</span> Neighborhood of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States

Shipoke (SHY-poke) is a neighborhood in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Shipoke is delineated by I-83 to the south, Washington Street to the north, Second Street to the east, and the Susquehanna River to the west. It is Harrisburg Ward number one. Compared to the area of Harrisburg's other neighborhoods, Shipoke is small.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harveys Creek</span> Tributary of the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Harveys Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 14.5 miles (23.3 km) long and flows through Harveys Lake, Lake Township, Lehman Township, Jackson Township, and Plymouth Township. The creek's watershed has an area of 46.3 square miles (120 km2). The creek has four named tributaries, which are known as Bear Hollow Creek, Paint Spring Run, Pikes Creek, and East Fork Harveys Creek. The watershed is designated as a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery above Pikes Creek and as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery below it. The creek's source is Harveys Lake, the largest natural lake in Pennsylvania.

Crooked Creek is a 26.3-mile-long (42.3 km) tributary of the Tioga River located entirely in Tioga County, Pennsylvania in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarks Ferry Bridge</span> Bridge in Dauphin County

The Clarks Ferry Bridge is a plate girder bridge that carries U.S. Routes 22 and 322 across the Susquehanna River near Duncannon, Pennsylvania, about 20 miles north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is a 4 lane expressway standard bridge. The bridge also provides safe passage for hikers, bikers, and pedestrians using the Appalachian Trail and BicyclePA Route J. It was completed in November 1986 replacing a 1925 concrete arch toll bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Mid-Atlantic United States flood</span>

The Mid-Atlantic United States flood of 2006 was a significant flood that affected much of the Mid-Atlantic region of the eastern United States. The flooding was very widespread, affecting numerous rivers, lakes and communities from Upstate New York to North Carolina. It was widely considered to be the worst flooding in the region since Hurricane David in 1979. It was also one of the worst floodings in the United States since Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. At least 16 deaths were related to the flooding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Pine State Park</span> State park in Pennsylvania, United States

Little Pine State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on 2,158 acres (873 ha) in Cummings Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Little Pine State park is along 4.2 miles (6.8 km) of Little Pine Creek, a tributary of Pine Creek, in the midst of the Tiadaghton State Forest. A dam on the creek has created a lake covering 94 acres (38 ha) for fishing, boating, and swimming. The park is on Pennsylvania Route 4001, 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of the unincorporated village of Waterville or 8 miles (13 km) southwest of the village of English Center. The nearest borough is Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, about 15 miles (24 km) south at the mouth of Pine Creek on the West Branch Susquehanna River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Pennsylvania</span> Geographical features of Pennsylvania

The geography of Pennsylvania varies from sea level marine estuary to mountainous plateau. The state is known for its natural resources, ports, and the leading role it played in the nation's founding and history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shikellamy State Park</span>

Shikellamy State Park is a 132-acre (53 ha) Pennsylvania state park located at the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. The park is divided into two sections. The older part, on a bluff on the western bank of the Susquehanna River, is the 78-acre (32 ha) Shikellamy overlook in Union Township, Union County. The newer part is the 54-acre (22 ha) marina on the southern end of Packer Island in Upper Augusta Township, Northumberland County. Packer's Island lies between the city of Sunbury and the borough of Northumberland at the confluence of the two branches of the river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paxton Creek</span> River in Pennsylvania, United States

Paxton Creek is a 13.9-mile-long (22.4 km) tributary of the Susquehanna River in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania history</span>

This is a timeline of the major events in the history of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and vicinity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spring Brook (Lackawanna River tributary)</span> River in the United States of America

Spring Brook is a tributary of the Lackawanna River in Lackawanna County and Luzerne County, in Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 17 miles (27 km) long and flows through Covington Township, Spring Brook Township, and Moosic in Lackawanna County and Pittston Township in Luzerne County. The watershed of the stream has an area of 57.2 square miles (148 km2). It is designated as a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery above Interstate 476 and as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery below it. A section is also designated as Class A Wild Trout Waters. The stream's tributaries include Panther Creek, Plank Bridge Creek, Rattlesnake Creek, Green Run, Monument Creek, and Covey Swamp Creek. It has a relatively high level of water quality and is very slightly acidic, with a pH of 6.4 to 6.9.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leggetts Creek</span> River in the United States of America

Leggetts Creek is a tributary of the Lackawanna River in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 9.0 miles (14.5 km) long and flows through Scott Township, South Abington Township, and Scranton. The watershed of the creek has an area of 18.5 square miles (48 km2). The creek has three named tributaries: Leach Creek, Clover Hill Creek, and Summit Lake Creek. Leggetts Creek is considered to be impaired due to urban development problems, but is not affected by acid mine drainage. The creek is fairly alkaline and is a perennial stream. Its headwaters are in wetlands outside of the Lackawanna Valley and it flows through a water gap known as Leggetts Gap or The Notch. Major lakes in the watershed include the Griffin Reservoir, Summit Lake, and Maple Lake. The creek is a source of flooding in South Abington Township.

The Williamsport Dam, officially known as the Hepburn Street Dam, is a low-head dam on the West Branch Susquehanna River in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It broke ground in 1984 and was finished in the spring of 1986. It was built for recreation, such as boating, watersports and fishing. It has been described as a "killer dam" and a "drowning machine".

References

  1. Rabbit, The Wicked Swamp (2021-03-21). "Dock Street Dam Death Trap". WickedWaterOps. Retrieved 2022-03-12.
  2. "HarrisburgPA.gov—Center City Sights : Shipoke District". Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  3. "Dock Street Dam, built to improve lives, has been a 'drowning machine'". 2018-05-11.
  4. "Dock Street Dam (Pennsylvania) | Case Study | ASDSO Lessons Learned". damfailures.org. Retrieved 2022-03-12.