Dams Sites

CCC Camp Greene was located on W. 2nd St. in Xenia, OH from 1935 to 1942. CCC boy Harold Kilgore's CCC papers (pictured below) lists some of the activities the CCC engaged in from Camp Greene, including: fence construction, timber stand improvement, tree planting and building temporary dams.

"SCS-10 Camp Cabell was located in Cabell County about two miles east of Milton on bottom land of the Thomas Joseph Berkeley farm, south of US Rt. 60 and between the highway and the railroad tracks... Due to its location, the camp was able to obtain water service from the Town of Milton. The camp was occupied July 31, 1939 by CCC Company 1512 which had been transferred from Camp Crawford, SCS-2, Elizabeth, WV. Work on local farms included fence construction, gully treatment, surveying and land preparation for strip cropping. A major project was the construction of a dam, creating a one...

CCC crews (Camp G-31) conducted work in the vicinity of Vernal, including building this small reservoir, or "CCC Tank."

The Central Valley Project (CVP) was originally conceived of in the 19th century, but took shape as the "State Water Project" in 1919.  The federal government turned it down in the 1920s, after which it gained approval from the state legislature in 1933.  The Great Depression made it impossible for the state to sell the bonds to finance the system, however, so the federal government stepped back in. Initial financing was provided under the Emergency Appropriations Act of 1935 with the Army Corps of Engineers in charge, but control and construction passed to the US Bureau of Reclamation in water project legislation by Congress in 1937. The...

This New Deal Civilian Conservation Corps camp was built to house CCC laborers as they assisted with infrastructure development and upkeep for the East San Francisco Bay Area water system. In addition to work on water infrastructure, CCC workers at Chabot built fences and managed second growth stumps in the nearby eucalyptus grove.

According to CCC alumnus Charles E. Humberger, quoted in the Nebraska History journal, “guest cabins were constructed and improvements made at the swimming pool and picnic and recreation area. Roads and trails were improved and drainage structures built. Brush dams were built to control soil and stream bank erosion, and the water supply system at the headquarters area was improved. They also carried out extensive rodent control and soil erosion programs on private property north of Chadron.” According to the city of Hemingford, “, one of Nebraska’s most beautiful, was developed to a large degree, by Civilian Conservation Corporation (CCC) forces…”

"Chatuge Dam is a flood control and hydroelectric dam on the Hiwassee River in Clay County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The dam is the uppermost of three dams on the river owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the early 1940s for flood storage and to provide flow regulation at Hiwassee Dam further downstream. The dam impounds the 7,000-acre (2,800 ha) Chatuge Lake, which straddles the North Carolina-Georgia state line."   (wikipedia)

"Cherokee was built to generate hydroelectric power during the World War II emergency, but it also plays an important role as one of the chain of TVA-managed reservoirs that have prevented billions of dollars in flood damage over the years... Construction of Cherokee Dam began in Aug. 1, 1940, and was completed on a crash schedule on Dec. 5, 1941."  (www.tva.gov) It is located on the Holston River between Grainger County and Jefferson County.

Chickamauga Dam is located on the Tennessee River in south-central Tennessee just east of downtown Chattanooga. Construction began in 1936 as a part of Tennessee Valley Authority’s area improvements and was completed in 1940. Before the dam’s construction, the city of Chattanooga often experienced major flooding. The dam provides hydroelectric power to the area and creates Chickamauga Lake, which is used for recreation and a wildlife reserve. Two segregated recreation areas- Booker T. Washington State Park and Harrison Bay State Park- were also created with the construction of the dam and lake. "When the Tennessee Valley Authority was formed in the...

"Virgin white pine of northeastern Wisconsin attracted early settlers to northern Oconto County. When the virgin forests were depleted, the rocky, sandy soil and the northern climate proved too hard to make a living. Marginal farms were abandoned and the area was destitute and under-employed during the late 1920s and early 1930s. The area looked very bleak and desolate. The answer appeared to be the growing resort industry. The WPA built Chute Pond Dam corrected and conserved the flowage of the Oconto River. This dam was constructed in 1937 on the site of an old log dam (parts of which...

A Works Progress Administration (WPA) dam enlargement project was undertaken to increase the municipal water reserves of Crowell, Texas in an effort completed in 1936. "The capacity of city lake was more than doubled by a WPA project completed last spring. The dam of the lake was raised three and one-half feet and the spillway three feet."

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked to develop during the 1930s what is now known as Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park. NYSParks.com: "The original core of land around and including Canopus Lake was developed through the use of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps which were established in the park and began development of the picnic area and campground, comfort stations, bridle paths, shelters, roads, and dams at Pelton Pond, Canopus and Stillwater lakes."

The park was built by CCC Co. 3804 who were at the park from the spring of 1935 to Aug 1940. According to "Parks for Texas," CCC work includes the dam and lake, a limestone residence and maintenance area, entrance portals, and fireplace units. Additional work was completed by the WPA in 1941, including a bathhouse and concession building, plus a water and sewer system.

The Columbus Powerhouse is a core component of Nebraska's Loup River Public Power District, which was developed during the 1930s with the aid of multiple massive federal Public Works Administration (PWA) fund allocations. The hydroelectric facility is located northeast of Columbus at the coordinates provided, and is the centerpiece of Columbus's Powerhouse Park. Loup History: The hydroelectric powerhouses in Monroe and Columbus really began to take shape in 1936. The work was done without safety equipment. Surprisingly, there were only a few accidents during construction." The Columbus site became a small community during construction. Some workers lived in tar paper shacks and kitchen...

"Conchas Dam is the oldest and one of the largest water projects of the US Army Corps of Engineers in New Mexico. Begun under the New Deal's Emergency Relief Act of 1935, the construction of the dam and associated facilities provided employment for nearly 2400 people. The WPA supported school teachers for the children of the work crews and after the dam was completed, the work camp provided housing for CCC crews building onsite recreational facilities. Today the headquarters building is still in use, and five other units provide housing for staff." -Treasures on New Mexico Trails The following quotes are all...

“Extensive repairs were made to Creque Reservoir in St. Croix where silting and increasing seepage endangered the dam structure which impounds 9,000,000 gallons of potable water. The dam footings have been strengthened and the reservoir area cleaned and put in order for the storage of water when the rains fall.” Built in 1926, the Creque Dam is a 45-foot high arch dam that stores water for Frederiksted. Today, the water in the reservoir sometimes runs low because of a leak.

The CCC did extensive work on the lake and surroundings. The Stone bridge pictured is on the National historical registry site. The dam and lake were constructed by CCC labor. The superintendent’s house pictured was started by CCC and completed after WW2.

Cut Throat Dam, was one of many dams the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) created or improved in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma. Per The Anadarko Tribune (1934) "Cutthroat dam is in the northwest corner of the reservation, about twenty miles from Hobart and near the big CCC camp. It is 12 feet high by 90 feet long." The Daily Oklahoman described it thusly: "One of the most picturesque lakes in the preserve is Cutthroat-reached after driving over hills that bear little promise of being near any water. This lake, which has been stocked with fish, is located in the northwest portion of...

Daingerfield State Park, located in Morris County, Texas, is a 506.913-acre recreational area (including an 80-surface-acre lake), deeded in 1935 by private owners and opened in 1938. The park offers picnicking, camping, boating, fishing, swimming, hiking and nature study. The original improvements were made by two companies of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Company 2891 and Company 1801(C) developed the park from 1935 to 1939. Both companies used local timber and stone as well as concrete to construct distinctive features. The companies built the entrance sign, boat house, fisherman’s barracks, combination building, Lake Daingerfield, retaining walls, culverts, steps, trails, two cabins and Park...

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) and Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed a dam to improve the water supply for Center, North Dakota. The exact location and status of this building are presently unknown to Living New Deal. Per Mandan Daily Pioneer: Tentative plans have been made to take to Center where water is being held in a reservoir begun several years ago by FERA and now being completed by WPA. It is the project selected by WPA Administrator Thomas H. Moodie as one of the best typifying constructive results of a water conservation program. Moodie said the water began backing up...

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) constructed a dam in Gardar Township, Pembina County, North Dakota. The location and status of the structure is unknown to Living New Deal. "Replacing a bridge in Gardar township of Pembina county is a dam that serves a double purpose of carrying a road across a coulee and storing 8.4 acre feet of water. Draining four square miles into a reservoir 1,200 feet long and covering 1.6 acres, the dam is 164 feet long and 13.5 feet high. The water is 10.5 feet at the dam site."

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) constructed a dam in Greenview Township, Pembina County, North Dakota. The location and status of the structure is unknown to Living New Deal. "Another replaced bridge is the Greenview township dam in Steele county. It is built to conserve water for livestock. It is 360 feet of fill 22 feet high. Its reservoir is 18.8 acres, 4,000 feet long and 141 acre feet of water."

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed the dam, near Mormon Gap on Highway 21.

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) constructed a dam east of Nekoma, North Dakota. Its exact location and status are unknown to Living New Deal. "Another recreational center dam in Cavalier county is two and a half miles east of Nekoma. It is 11 feet high and 434 feet long with a height of water of seven feet. The reservoir is 4,980 feet long, covers 23 acres and stores 80.5 acre feet."

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) constructed a dam near the mouth of the Pembina River in Pembina, North Dakota. "The completed dam at Pembina provides a recreation spot and a fire protection reservoir. It is near the mouth of the Pembina river and gives a height of 11 feet at the dam site. The reservoir is 14,717 feet long, covers 13.5 acres and stores 74 acre feet. The dam is 11 feet high with a 51-foot fill and a drainage area of 1,730 square miles."

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed a dam in or near Plymouth, Indiana, impounding a 300-acre-foot lake. The location and status of the structure is unknown to Living New Deal.

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) constructed this dam in 1934.

The Works Progress Administration constructed "Sparlund dam" in Peaceful Valley Township, Slope County, North Dakota in 1937. The location and status of the structure are unknown to Living New Deal.

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) constructed a dam east of Mt. Carmel, North Dakota; not to be confused with the Mt. Carmel Dam, which was built decades later. Its exact location and status are unknown to Living New Deal, though it seems likely to have been at the coordinates below, and since been removed. "Located a mile and a half east of the village of Mt. Carmel in Cavalier county is a 14-foot dam across the Little Pembina river, which provides a recreational center for the village. At the dam the water is 10 feet deep with a reservoir that...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) conducted a massive dam on the John Lubeck farm southwest of Orleans, Nebraska. The farm is placed three miles west and four miles south of Orleans, per an article in The Orleans Enterprise. The dam was "350 feet long and 22 to 23 feet in height, measuring 110 feet at the base and 13 feet across at the top." It was planned that the lake impounded by the dam would become a resort. Per Google Maps, a lake called Lubeck Reservoir is impounded by a dam that generally fits the dimensions above. The structure is located...

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) constructed two dams in Adler Township, Nelson County, North Dakota. Their exact location and status are unknown to Living New Deal. "Two dams in Nelson county were built to conserve water for stock. The Wixo dam in Adler township provides a height of 9 feet of water at the dam. Its reservoir is 5,280 feet long and covers 21 acres with a storage of 94.5 acre feet. It is 14 feet high has a 400-foot fill and a 25-square mile drainage area. The Sivertson dam in the same township is 9 feet high with a...

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) constructed the following two dams near Finley, North Dakota. Their exact location and status are unknown to Living New Deal. "The north branch of the Goose river is dammed seven miles north of Finley to form a 7.7-acre reservoir, 2,600 feet long and with 38.5 acre feet of water. The dam is 14 feet high giving a 10-foot depth. Seven miles east of Finley is the Digness dam on the same river. It is 21 feet high to provide 17 feet of water at the end of a 16.5-acre reservoir. Dimensions of the dam are...

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed a "dam to create Darling Pond" during the 1930s.

In ca. 1939 at Kanawha, CCC workers built Davis Creek Dam to form the 1.5-acre Ellison Pond. Pinned to the solid rock streambed and built of concrete and cut sandstone, the impoundment dam is 100 feet in length and approximately 10 feet high. The dam was recently removed to re-establish the original stream.

"Follow the gravel road on the right, past the metal gate and a pit toilet beyond, to the west end of Day Pond and the stone dam that was restored in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The original dam, constructed by the Colonialera Day family, once powered a sawmill. The pond’s root-beer-colored water, stained by tannins, now tumbles unimpeded over the spillway."

"A c. 1940 poured concrete dam with metal gates and fixtures. Built with federal funds during the Depression era to help control drainage, flooding on Deer Creek" (Embree, 2004, p. 12).

Several New Deal agencies contributed to the construction of the Deerfield Dam in the vicinity of Hill City and the Black Hills National Forest, SD. Construction began before the Roosevelt Administration, continued during the New Deal, and finished after World War II. According to the Bureau of Reclamation, "Construction was started on July 7, 1942, by the Farm Security Administration and was later continued by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Civilian Public Service Camp under the Works Projects Administration during World War II. The facilities were completed by the Bureau of Reclamation in 1947."

This desilting basin, located by the Genoa Headworks southwest of Genoa, Nebraska, was developed as part of Nebraska's Loup River Public Power District. The project was developed during the 1930s with the aid of multiple massive federal Public Works Administration (PWA) fund allocations. The Columbus Telegram: "The floating dredge in the desilting basin at the headworks west of Genoa is one of the more important units in the entire plan. It removes the accumulated silt from the water and turns it back into the river to keep the accumulations from clogging the canal."

Dos Bocas Dam, a hydroelectric generation facility, was constructed as part of a large rural electrification plan undertaken by the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration, a New Deal agency. Construction began in 1937 and was completed in 1942. The plant is located in the north central part of Puerto Rico, on on Lago Dos Bocas and the Rio Grande Arecibo. The work “consisted of a concrete dam and two generation units directly below the lake measuring a combined 12,450 horsepower of electric power, enough to generate more than 30 million kilowatt hours per year.”

"Douglas Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the French Broad River in Sevier County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The dam is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which built the dam in record time in the early 1940s to meet emergency energy demands at the height of World War II. Douglas Dam is a straight reinforced concrete gravity-type dam 1705 feet long and 202 feet high, impounding the 28,420-acre Douglas Lake. The dam was named for Douglas Bluff, a cliff overlooking the dam site prior to construction." (Wikipedia)