Loud Dam
| Industry | Hydroelectric power |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1913 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Michigan |
| Products | Hydroelectric power |
| Owner | Consumers Energy |
Loud Dam is a hydroelectric facility situated on Michigan's Au Sable River, positioned along the National Register of Historic Places River Road Scenic Byway in Northern Michigan. This dam forms a component of the River Road Scenic Byway and holds recognition under the National Scenic Byways Program.
Description
The Loud Hydroelectric Station encompasses structures spanning the Au Sable River, including an embankment dam integrated with a spillway. Adjacent to the spillway are the powerhouse and an outdoor electrical substation. Consumers Energy provides public access to Loud Pond through a boat launch, while portage routes enable canoeists and kayakers to circumvent the dam. The portage on the right side consists of a 250-yard gravel path followed by a downstream canoe slide; conversely, the left side offers a shorter but steeper route that necessitates ascending over a concrete dam fence via a steel platform.
Namesake
The name Loud Dam honors the Loud family, prominent in the lumber industry, especially Edward F. Loud, who managed extensive logging operations along the Au Sable River and acquired most of the harvested lands from 1900 to 1906. Subsequently, he collaborated with company founder William Foote and others to establish hydroelectric developments on the Au Sable. Prior to selling these properties to the power company in 1909, Loud held ownership of much of the riverfront land stretching from Mio to Oscoda. After advocating for hydroelectric projects, he and his wife developed Loud Island, a 30-acre seasonal retreat near Oscoda, Michigan. Edward Francis Loud was the son of Henry M. Loud, a notable lumber magnate of the 19th century. The Detroit Free Press described H.M. Loud Co. as among Michigan’s most affluent lumber enterprises. Following Edward F. Loud’s passing in 1952, major publications including The New York Times commemorated his influential role in Michigan’s timber industry.
Technical Information
Loud Dam, with an installed capacity of 4 megawatts, was Consumers Power Company’s third hydroelectric installation completed on the Au Sable River, finished in 1913. It is among six dams portaged during the annual 120-mile Au Sable River Canoe Marathon. Constructed as an earth embankment with a concrete core wall, it creates a water head of 27 feet. The original machinery remains in use, comprising two Allis-Chalmers horizontal turbines paired with two General Electric generators each delivering 2,000 KW at 2,500 volts and operating at 120 RPM. The powerhouse is a rectangular building with a flat roof measuring 40 by 120 feet set on a concrete foundation. Its concrete spillway includes three tainter gates capable of releasing up to 16,650 cubic feet per second.