Dock Street Dam
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 gives the Susquehanna recreational depth south of the Taylor Bridge. 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, and it is possible (although not necessarily advisable) to walk from one shore to the other—a distance of nearly a mile—while keeping one's head well above water. 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.[1] 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.[2] 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 Dam | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Dock Street Dam |
| Location | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Shipoke) and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates | 40°14′55″N 76°52′43″W |
| Opening date | 1916 |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Susquehanna River |
| Height | 4 feet |
| Length | 3,460 feet (1,050 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Susquehanna River |
References
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2008-10-03.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Dock Street Dam, built to improve lives, has been a 'drowning machine'". 2018-05-11.