French Paper Company Dam is a gravity dam located in Berrien County, Michigan, built in 1887. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 22 ft22 ft tall and 1,000 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About French Paper Company Dam
The primary purpose of French Paper Company Dam is hydroelectric. The dam generates hydroelectric power by channeling water through turbines, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity. The dam is owned by French Paper Company (private). It impounds the Saint Joseph River near Niles.
The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 1,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 80 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,600 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3,666 square miles. Completed in 1887, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 08/16/2012. That was over 14 years ago.
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Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Berrien |
| Nearest City | Niles |
| River/Stream | Saint Joseph River |
| Coordinates | 41.81833, -86.26000 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1887 (139 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,600 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,600 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 510 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 80 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3,666 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 31,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Hydroelectric |
| Owner | French Paper Company |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 08/16/2012 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00536 |
| Federal ID | MI00536 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |