Today I had a rare day where I was able to take a lunch break during work and be nearby a really incredible place. Even though it is obviously man made, the Conowingo Dam is an amazing sight in person. I spent about 10 minutes looking and listening. The sound of the water is so relaxing. But also there are many birds in the area. The two together make for such a relaxing atmosphere. I did take some video (my quality is still bad using my Galaxy S6) and uploaded it to youtube. Being the geography nerd I am - of course I have to include some facts on the dam and river.
The Conowingo Dam was constructed and opened in the mid 1920's. It is used as a hydro-electric power source but also provides water via the upstream reservoir. Drinking water is provided for the City of Baltimore, Maryland and for Chester County, Pennsylvania. In addition reactor cooling water is provided for the nearby Peach Bottom Nuclear Power Plant in Pennsylvania. The reservoir is also used for recreation. There are a total of 53 flood gates. Only twice in history (1936 & 1972) have all 53 gates been opened at once. The area downstream is well known for bird watching and well over 100 species of birds have been observed. Often groups of Blue Heron and American Bald Eagles can be seen. On any given day the area is a haven for various species depending on the season.
The Susquehanna River is the longest (464 miles) river on the United States East coast draining areas of New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland into the Chesapeake Bay. The river drains a 27,500 square mile (71,000 kilometers) area including half of the State of Pennsylvania! The name "Susquehanna" is a Delaware Indian term meaning "Oyster River". 50% of the freshwater input into the Chesapeake Bay is from the Susquehanna River which empties into the Chesapeake at Havre de Grace, Maryland. The Susquehanna is well known for strong/dangerous currents - especially downstream from the Conowingo Dam. The river is also known for many epic flooding events including major flooding of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, Binghamton, New York, and Port Deposit, Maryland. Recreation is a big part of the Susquehanna attracting bird watchers and fisherman.
So there is my brief geek out of the day on geography. I hope you enjoy the pictures below. As always thanks for reading and remember to get out, volunteer, and make someone else's day great!
