Walters Dam, Arch dam in Haywood County, United States.
Walters Dam is a concrete arch dam that crosses the Pigeon River in the western mountains of North Carolina. It channels river water to a powerhouse that generates electricity for the surrounding region.
An energy company began building the dam in the 1920s to bring electricity to a region that had little access to it at the time. The project was part of a broader push to develop waterpower across the southern Appalachian mountains.
Walters Dam carries the North Carolina Historic Civil Engineering Landmark designation, awarded in 1980 and still recognized today. Visitors who walk near the structure can see a working concrete dam that has remained in continuous operation since it was first built.
The dam is close to riverside trails along the Pigeon River that offer good views of the structure and the water it holds back. It can be visited at any time of year, though water levels and flow vary with the seasons.
The powerhouse that uses the water from the dam sits several miles away, at the point where two rivers meet. This setup allows the facility to draw from two separate water sources at once, which is an uncommon arrangement for a dam of this type.
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