Author Topic: Lake Power  (Read 2576 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

2windy

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 40
Lake Power
« on: February 25, 2009, 02:00:44 AM »
I live on a small lake (approx 10 acres) that was man made 50 years ago. Deepest part is 24'. It has a dam approx. 400' long 75' high. The back of the dam slopes 50 degrees (pretty steep) and has a spillway large enough to float a automobile out edgewise in heavy rain or floods. When they built the lake they burried a 16" dia. pipe in the top of the dam to the bottom of the dam that exits to the creek. The top of the pipe in the the lake is on a hinge so the water level in the lake can be controlled. You can raise or lower the lake approx. 10'. Beside the lake being full of springs it also has runoff from acres and acres of farmland. I have lived on the lake for almost 40 years and have never seen water not runing down the overflow pipe. Actually there is almost always water  running out the spillway.(don't think the overflow pipe was ever big enough) There is approx. 40' to 50' of drop to where the overflow pipe comes out at the bottom of the dam. The end is burried in the creek bed under water witch is about 3' deep and has a U shape fitting on the end. The water shoots up out of the creek almost 2'. Believe it or not the creek bed remains the same after all these years. My questions are how can I calculate how much power if any could we produce from this overflow pipe? I did some google searches but I'm not relly good with math. Any ideas what kind of hydro system would work best for me? (homemade or commercial) My biggest problem is the output pipe is about 200 feet from the storage shed. (on top of the dam). I am thinking I could raise overflow pipe up. I could then buy myself a couple days to add a Y on the exit of the overflow pipe with valve on each so I could control the flow while working on it. There are 15 homes around the lake that are lived in year round. I really don't want to do the wrong thing on the bottom of the dam in the creek bed that could cause problems without some good advice. I'm not a stranger to homebrewed power being I have 3 homemade wind generators in my backyard (not grid tied yet though) I am too far away from the dam myself (1000') or I would have tried something long ago. It is a private lake and we have been looking for ways to save some green in these terrible times. Any help would be appreciated. I better quit talking for now, and wait for some questions. Thanks
« Last Edit: February 25, 2009, 02:00:44 AM by (unknown) »

Airstream

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 245
Re: Lake Power
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2009, 07:26:55 PM »
Skip the ads & hype on this link but use the calculators... http://tinyurl.com/ae6x4q


And another : http://tinyurl.com/2y539b


You've got some reading to do - and link following - but the potential is there if you can maneuver around civil codes and liability etc..

« Last Edit: February 24, 2009, 07:26:55 PM by Airstream »

wooferhound

  • SuperHero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2288
  • Country: us
  • Huntsville Alabama U.S.A.
    • Woofer Hound Sound & Lighting Rentals
Re: Lake Power
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2009, 08:10:50 AM »
Here are a Bunch of stories that will help you get acquainted with Hydro Power

http://www.fieldlines.com/?op=search&offset=0&old_count=30&type=story&section=&s
tring=hydro+power&search=Search&count=30

« Last Edit: February 25, 2009, 08:10:50 AM by wooferhound »