Dillsboro Dam Removal: Challenges Encountered and Lessons Learned

In early 2010, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (Duke Energy) removed Dillsboro Dam and Powerhouse from the Tuckasegee River as part of a hydro relicensing settlement agreement addressing continued operation of Duke Energy’s East Fork, West Fork, and Nantahala hydroelectric projects. Removal of the Dillsboro Hydroelectric Project (Project) served as a major component of the overall environmental and recreation mitigation plans by providing fish passage, improved fish habitat, and additional recreational opportunities on the Tuckasegee River.
The original wooden dam at the Dillsboro site was constructed in 1909 and supplied power to local industries. Modernized dam and powerhouse facilities were built in the 1930s and by 1958, the dam had been raised a few feet and the powerhouse was rehabilitated once again. The Project had an installed capacity of 225 kW and included: (1) a 12-foot-high, 310-foot-long concrete masonry dam; (2) a 15-acre reservoir; (3) an 80-foot-long intake canal; (4) a powerhouse containing two vertical Francis-type generating units having a combined hydraulic capacity of 284 cubic feet per second; and (5) a 25-foot-long tailrace.