CascAda History #14 - Ada Dam Traditional Cache

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bretina: Thanks to all who visited this geocache and learned about the creation of the Ada Dam.

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Hidden : 10/12/2013
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3.5 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


CascAda History #14 - Ada Dam
The Cascade & Ada Township History Series


The Ada Dam is just upstream from the Ada Covered Bridge and is less than 1 mi from the mouth of the Thornapple River. The Dam generates 1.6 Mw of electric power. It is owned by an association of about 230 homeowners who have property on the river between the Cascade and Ada dams. The association operated the dam for flood and water control, funding operations with a special tax levy.

Prior to the dam's construction in 1926, the Thornapple River was free flowing and navigable by canoe and shallow draft boats, depending on the time of year. But this was not the first dam on the river. A dam was built at this location as early as 1855. But at that time, a run was dug that diverted water to a water wheel for grinding. Farmers brought crops to the mill.

The Thornapple River drops 20 feet in the course of its run through the township. There were rapids and areas of calm, swift flowing drops and shallows that allowed fording. At flood stage, it filled the same areas that it does now, plus more. It is not unusual for the river to rise 4 feet in depth with heavy rains or snow melt. With the dams in plaace, those areas that previously filled only at flood stage, but were other times of the year marshy or dry mudflats or gravel, are permanently filled for a distance upstream from the dam.

When the Power Company proposed damming the stream in the mid 1920's, they first had to purchase flood rights from the owners. The Power Company, in order to salvage the timber growing in the area, erected a sawmill, but found it easier to fell the trees at waist height rather than ground level. Dangerous stumps were left to plague the area for years.

The dam was built in 1926 by the Water Power Company and was owned by the Lower Peninsular Power Company. They sold it in 1934 to Consumers Power, who had been purchasing the dam's entire output since 1927. During the late 1950's, many of the generating facilities were becoming less economical to operate. There were growing rumors that Consumers was considering disposing of several such dams, including the sister dam in Cascade. It was this threat that prompted founding of the Thornapple Association, Inc., chartered as a Non-Profit Corporation in September 1961.

Consumers continued to operate the dam until December 30, 1968, after which the turbines and generators were removed. They offered to sell the dam to the association for one dollar, and the sale was closed on April 1, 1969.

As the cost of energy escalated in the 70's, the federal government began to encourage the refitting of many of the old dam sites that had been abandoned or sold in the 60's. In fact they invited owners of facilities to apply for a feasibility study grant. The services of an Ann Arbor engineering firm, whose study confirmed the economic feasibility of re-electrifying the dam, even despite the projected equipment cost of well over a million dollars.

In 1983 the power generation capability was restored by STS Hydropower, who operates the dam under long term contract, and the association now generates substantial income from the sale of electricity, with well over $750,000 in retained surplus.

Sources:
Thornapple Association
Thornapple River

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Cnvagrq CO wne haqre n snyyra gerr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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