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Thomson Dam (Minnesota)

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54: 38: 61: 493:. The generating station was expanded in 1914 with the addition of Unit 4. Unit 5 was added in 1918 and Unit 6 in 1948. Railroad tracks built into the generator floor allowed for installation and maintenance of the equipment. The complex was later transferred to the Saint Louis Power Company. Today it is owned by Minnesota Power, a division of Allete, Inc. 496:
Heavy rains in June 2012 created an historic flood in the region which overtopped the dam, breached the forebay canal and severely damaged the hydroelectric station. Following $ 90 million in reconstruction and upgrades, including the addition of a new emergency spillway, the facility came back
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online in November, 2014. Additional upgrades will continue through 2018, including removal of the original 46kV transmission line equipment in favor of other, higher voltage equipment that was added later.
1147: 1142: 513:. However, the Thomson Project is actually composed of multiple dams and control structures, several of which have been rebuilt and merged over the years. Today the 93: 53: 506: 427: 213: 1152: 865: 315: 514: 958: 1157: 928: 490: 168: 510: 1050: 1137: 517:
National Inventory of Dams (NID) counts 18 structures as part of the complex, with 14 formally listed as separate.
442:. It consists of a 1600-foot (488 m) long primary structure and multiple supplementary dams which, together with 80: 1008: 450: 449:
The tallest dam in the complex is 51.6 feet (16 m) and the longest is 3500 feet (1067 m). A series of
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rock outcrops known as the Thomson formation, impound the river to create Thomson Reservoir.
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This article is about Thomson Dam in Minnesota. For the dam by the same name Australia, see
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Thomson Dam was completed in 1907 by Great Northern Power, an operating division of the
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The most visible part of Thomson Dam is the primary structure straddling the
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Downstream face of the main Thomson Dam on the St. Louis River in 2017
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Buildings and structures in Carlton County, Minnesota
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September 1, 2015. 933:United States Army Corps of Engineers 923: 921: 919: 917: 915: 515:United States Army Corps of Engineers 477:, the Thomson project is the largest 282:4,352 acre⋅ft (5,368,000 m) 7: 1110:Minnesota Power is an ALLETE Company 68:Location of Thomson Dam in Minnesota 469:. With an installed capacity of 72 235:Canal: 3,500 ft (1,100 m) 14: 1153:1907 establishments in Minnesota 233:Main: 1,600 ft (490 m) 59: 52: 36: 1009:"2015 Integrated Resource Plan" 1080:"Hometown Hydropower: History" 1: 584:3,500 ft (1,100 m) 225:Canal: 45 ft (14 m) 223:Main: 15 ft (4.6 m) 899:Minnesota Power: Our System 735:51.6 ft (15.7 m) 672:1,322 ft (403 m) 558:1,600 ft (490 m) 511:Minnesota State Highway 210 1174: 1026:"Thomson Dam, Thomson, MN" 666:(Nos 2-3/4, 3, 3A, 4, 4A) 331:46.6549750°N 92.33362000°W 15: 848:450 ft (140 m) 826:365 ft (111 m) 628:530 ft (160 m) 392: 109:46.6664167°N 92.4071667°W 81:Carlton County, Minnesota 47: 35: 845:12 ft (3.7 m) 823:17 ft (5.2 m) 799:11 ft (3.4 m) 780:100 ft (30 m) 777:11 ft (3.4 m) 760:100 ft (30 m) 757:12 ft (3.7 m) 738:125 ft (38 m) 716:115 ft (35 m) 713:23 ft (7.0 m) 694:100 ft (30 m) 691:23 ft (7.0 m) 648:130 ft (40 m) 625:23 ft (7.0 m) 603:10 ft (3.0 m) 555:15 ft (4.6 m) 465:located 3 miles away in 352:375 ft (114 m) 336:46.6549750; -92.33362000 895:"Thomson Hydro Station" 802:80 ft (24 m) 669:38 ft (12 m) 645:9 ft (2.7 m) 606:90 ft (27 m) 581:45 ft (14 m) 481:facility in the state. 368:Installed capacity 300:649 acres (263 ha) 143:Construction began 114:46.6664167; -92.4071667 1158:Dams completed in 1907 491:Great Northern Railway 381:Annual generation 258:Spillway capacity 169:Great Northern Railway 25:Dam in Minnesota, U.S. 416:Thomson Water Project 412:Thomson Hydro Station 191:Type of dam 622:Thomson Dam #2A, 2B 467:Jay Cooke State Park 424:concrete gravity dam 410:, also known as the 984:"Thomson Reservoir" 710:Thomson Dam #5-1/2 642:Thomson Dam #2-1/2 600:Thomson Dam #1-1/2 522: 399:http://mphydro.com/ 327: /  288:Catchment area 279:Total capacity 105: /  1112:. January 20, 2017 578:Thomson Canal Dam 520: 457:, and underground 250:Spillway type 160:2014 reconstructed 1138:Dams in Minnesota 1030:John A. Weeks III 857: 856: 507:Saint Louis River 430:near the town of 428:Saint Louis River 405: 404: 297:Surface area 274:Thomson Reservoir 214:Saint Louis River 185:Dam and spillways 151:Opening date 1165: 1122: 1121: 1119: 1117: 1102: 1096: 1095: 1093: 1091: 1086:. April 23, 1979 1076: 1070: 1069: 1067: 1065: 1055: 1047: 1041: 1040: 1038: 1036: 1022: 1016: 1015: 1013: 1005: 999: 998: 996: 994: 980: 974: 973: 971: 969: 954: 945: 944: 942: 940: 925: 910: 909: 907: 905: 891: 842:Thomson Dam #12 830:Concrete gravity 806:Concrete gravity 796:Thomson Dam #10 784:Concrete gravity 720:Concrete gravity 698:Concrete gravity 676:Concrete gravity 652:Concrete gravity 566:concrete gravity 523: 463:hydropower plant 434:in northeastern 401: 342: 341: 339: 338: 337: 332: 328: 325: 324: 323: 320: 200:Concrete Gravity 196:Earth Embankment 156:1914-48 expanded 120: 119: 117: 116: 115: 110: 106: 103: 102: 101: 98: 63: 62: 56: 40: 28: 1173: 1172: 1168: 1167: 1166: 1164: 1163: 1162: 1128: 1127: 1126: 1125: 1115: 1113: 1104: 1103: 1099: 1089: 1087: 1084:Minnesota Power 1078: 1077: 1073: 1063: 1061: 1053: 1049: 1048: 1044: 1034: 1032: 1024: 1023: 1019: 1011: 1007: 1006: 1002: 992: 990: 982: 981: 977: 967: 965: 956: 955: 948: 938: 936: 927: 926: 913: 903: 901: 893: 892: 879: 874: 862: 819: 818:Thomson Dam #11 774:Thomson Dam #9 754:Thomson Dam #8 732:Thomson Dam #6 688:Thomson Dam #5 665: 503: 487: 397: 396: 335: 333: 329: 326: 321: 318: 316: 314: 313: 234: 224: 179:Minnesota Power 159: 157: 155: 113: 111: 107: 104: 99: 96: 94: 92: 91: 72: 71: 70: 69: 66: 65: 64: 43: 26: 21: 12: 11: 5: 1171: 1169: 1161: 1160: 1155: 1150: 1145: 1140: 1130: 1129: 1124: 1123: 1097: 1071: 1042: 1017: 1000: 975: 946: 935:. October 2016 911: 876: 875: 873: 870: 869: 868: 861: 858: 855: 854: 849: 846: 843: 840: 837: 833: 832: 827: 824: 821: 816: 813: 809: 808: 803: 800: 797: 794: 791: 787: 786: 781: 778: 775: 772: 769: 765: 764: 761: 758: 755: 752: 749: 745: 744: 739: 736: 733: 730: 727: 723: 722: 717: 714: 711: 708: 705: 701: 700: 695: 692: 689: 686: 683: 679: 678: 673: 670: 667: 664:Thomson Dam #3 662: 659: 655: 654: 649: 646: 643: 640: 637: 633: 632: 629: 626: 623: 620: 617: 613: 612: 607: 604: 601: 598: 595: 591: 590: 585: 582: 579: 576: 573: 569: 568: 559: 556: 553: 550: 547: 543: 542: 539: 536: 533: 530: 527: 502: 499: 486: 483: 403: 402: 390: 389: 383: 377: 376: 370: 364: 363: 360: 354: 353: 350: 348:Hydraulic head 344: 343: 311: 307: 306: 302: 301: 298: 294: 293: 290: 284: 283: 280: 276: 275: 272: 268: 267: 263: 262: 259: 255: 254: 251: 247: 246: 243: 237: 236: 231: 227: 226: 221: 217: 216: 211: 207: 206: 193: 187: 186: 182: 181: 176: 172: 171: 166: 162: 161: 152: 148: 147: 144: 140: 139: 136: 132: 131: 126: 122: 121: 89: 85: 84: 78: 74: 73: 67: 58: 57: 51: 50: 49: 48: 45: 44: 41: 33: 32: 24: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1170: 1159: 1156: 1154: 1151: 1149: 1146: 1144: 1141: 1139: 1136: 1135: 1133: 1111: 1107: 1101: 1098: 1085: 1081: 1075: 1072: 1059: 1052: 1046: 1043: 1031: 1027: 1021: 1018: 1010: 1004: 1001: 989: 985: 979: 976: 964: 960: 953: 951: 947: 934: 930: 924: 922: 920: 918: 916: 912: 900: 896: 890: 888: 886: 884: 882: 878: 871: 867: 864: 863: 859: 853: 850: 847: 844: 841: 838: 835: 834: 831: 828: 825: 822: 817: 814: 811: 810: 807: 804: 801: 798: 795: 792: 789: 788: 785: 782: 779: 776: 773: 770: 767: 766: 762: 759: 756: 753: 750: 747: 746: 743: 742:Concrete arch 740: 737: 734: 731: 728: 725: 724: 721: 718: 715: 712: 709: 706: 703: 702: 699: 696: 693: 690: 687: 684: 681: 680: 677: 674: 671: 668: 663: 660: 657: 656: 653: 650: 647: 644: 641: 638: 635: 634: 630: 627: 624: 621: 618: 615: 614: 611: 608: 605: 602: 599: 596: 593: 592: 589: 586: 583: 580: 577: 574: 571: 570: 567: 563: 560: 557: 554: 551: 548: 545: 544: 540: 537: 534: 531: 528: 525: 524: 518: 516: 512: 509:channel near 508: 500: 498: 494: 492: 484: 482: 480: 479:hydroelectric 476: 472: 468: 464: 460: 456: 452: 447: 445: 441: 440:United States 437: 433: 429: 425: 421: 417: 413: 409: 400: 395: 391: 388: 384: 382: 378: 375: 371: 369: 365: 361: 359: 355: 351: 349: 345: 340: 322:92°20′1.032″W 319:46°39′17.91″N 312: 308: 305:Thomson Hydro 303: 299: 295: 291: 289: 285: 281: 277: 273: 269: 264: 260: 256: 252: 248: 244: 242: 238: 232: 228: 222: 218: 215: 212: 208: 205: 201: 197: 194: 192: 188: 183: 180: 177: 173: 170: 167: 163: 153: 149: 145: 141: 137: 133: 130: 127: 123: 118: 100:92°24′25.80″W 97:46°39′59.10″N 90: 86: 82: 79: 75: 55: 46: 39: 34: 29: 23: 19: 1114:. Retrieved 1109: 1100: 1088:. Retrieved 1083: 1074: 1062:. Retrieved 1057: 1045: 1033:. Retrieved 1029: 1020: 1003: 991:. Retrieved 987: 978: 966:. Retrieved 963:Pine Journal 962: 937:. Retrieved 932: 902:. Retrieved 898: 552:Thomson Dam 504: 495: 488: 448: 415: 411: 407: 406: 393: 158:2012 damaged 22: 453:, a canal, 451:gate houses 444:precambrian 408:Thomson Dam 334: / 310:Coordinates 138:Operational 112: / 88:Coordinates 31:Thomson Dam 18:Thomson Dam 1132:Categories 872:References 852:Embankment 610:Embankment 588:Embankment 562:Embankment 501:Structures 420:embankment 529:Other ID 461:supply a 459:penstocks 436:Minnesota 266:Reservoir 241:Spillways 1116:July 30, 1090:July 30, 1064:July 30, 1035:July 30, 993:July 30, 968:July 30, 939:July 29, 904:July 30, 860:See also 836:MN83031 812:MN83030 790:MN83029 768:MN83028 748:MN83027 726:MN83026 704:MN83025 682:MN83024 658:MN83023 636:MN83022 616:MN83021 594:MN83020 572:MN00604 546:MN00604 418:, is an 358:Turbines 210:Impounds 175:Owner(s) 165:Built by 77:Location 535:Height 526:Dam ID 485:History 455:forebay 432:Thomson 426:on the 394:Website 271:Creates 125:Purpose 1060:. 2017 538:Width 230:Length 220:Height 135:Status 83:, U.S. 1054:(PDF) 1012:(PDF) 839:S009 815:S008 793:S007 771:S006 751:S005 729:S004 707:S013 685:S003 661:S002 639:S012 619:S001 597:S011 575:S010 541:Type 532:Name 253:gated 129:Power 1118:2017 1092:2017 1066:2017 1037:2017 995:2017 970:2017 941:2017 906:2017 564:and 422:and 385:280 204:Arch 154:1907 146:1905 763:na 631:na 475:GWh 414:or 387:GWh 372:72 1134:: 1108:. 1082:. 1056:. 1028:. 986:. 961:. 949:^ 931:. 914:^ 897:. 880:^ 549:– 471:MW 438:, 374:MW 362:6 202:, 198:, 1120:. 1094:. 1068:. 1039:. 997:. 972:. 943:. 908:. 245:2 20:.

Index

Thomson Dam

Thomson Dam (Minnesota) is located in Minnesota
Carlton County, Minnesota
46°39′59.10″N 92°24′25.80″W / 46.6664167°N 92.4071667°W / 46.6664167; -92.4071667
Power
Great Northern Railway
Minnesota Power
Type of dam
Earth Embankment
Concrete Gravity
Arch
Saint Louis River
Spillways
Catchment area
46°39′17.91″N 92°20′1.032″W / 46.6549750°N 92.33362000°W / 46.6549750; -92.33362000
Hydraulic head
Turbines
Installed capacity
MW
Annual generation
GWh
http://mphydro.com/
embankment
concrete gravity dam
Saint Louis River
Thomson
Minnesota
United States
precambrian

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