**During the summer months parking in the Campground is
restricted so try entering from the east end of the trail (will as
cord. soon).**
**NOTE THE DRY CREEK IS NOT ALWAYS DRY. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE
ABOUT CROSSING THE SOMETIMES DRY CREEK, BE SAFE AND APPROACH FROM
SOUTH OF THE POWER PLANT RATHER THEN FROM THE WAKING BRIDGE**
HYDRO PLANT (From the City of Spearfish Website)
Constructed by Homestake Mining Company to provide power for the
mine site in Lead SD. and power for the Homestake Sawmill in
Spearfish SD. which provided timber for various mining methods.
The Spearfish Hydro system was purchased by the City of
Spearfish in 2004 from Homestake Mining Company to maintain water
flow through the city and downstream users.
The diversion tunnel from Maurice intake to Forbay totals 5
miles in length. Mining was completed in one year with 14 headings
working towards each other without any errors in elevations or
horizontal mismatch. It is constructed of five feet high concrete
side walls and a poured floor. The roof consists of either poured
concrete, arched concrete blocks, or nature arched rock.
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Spearfish Hydro Plant constructed in
1910 |
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Maurice Intake |
Diversion
Tunnel |
Stand Pipes are located on a ridge south of Spearfish and above
the mouth of Spearfish Canyon. The Stand Pipes reduce the water
shock within the pipelines feeding the plant, as the water flows
change the height of the Stand Pipes changes.
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Stand Pipes |
Hydro Plant is equipped with two 2
megawatt generators |
THE HYDRO PLANT TODAY:
