Moses-Saunders Power Dam

Moses-Saunders Power Dam
The dam's R.H. Saunders Generating Station
Location of Moses-Saunders Power Dam in New York
Official name	Robert Moses-Robert H. Saunders Power Dam
Country	United States/Canada
Location	Massena, New York Cornwall, Ontario
Coordinates	45°00′23″N 74°47′42″W / 45.00639°N 74.79500°W / 45.00639; -74.79500
Status	Operational
Construction began	1954
Opening date	1958
Owner(s)	New York Power Authority Ontario Power Generation
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Saint Lawrence River
Height	195.5 ft (60 m)[1]
Length	3,216 ft (980 m)
Spillways	Long Sault Dam
Reservoir
Creates	Lake St. Lawrence
Surface area	100 sq mi (259 km2)[2]
Maximum length	30 mi (48 km)
Power Station
Commission date	R.H. Saunders: July 8, 1958-December 18, 1959[3]
Hydraulic head	81 ft (25 m)[4]
Turbines	R.H. Saunders: 16 x 65.3 MW fixed-pitch Kaplan-type St. Lawrence/FDR: 16 x 57 MW fixed pitch Kaplan-type[5]
Installed capacity	R.H. Saunders: 1,045 MW St. Lawrence/FDR: 912 MW Total: 1,957 MW

The Moses-Saunders Power Dam, short for Robert Moses-Robert H. Saunders Power Dam, is a dam on the Saint Lawrence River straddling the border between the United States and Canada. It is located between Massena in New York and Cornwall in Ontario. The dam supplies water to two adjacent hydroelectric power generating stations, the United States' 912 MW St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project and Canada's 1,045 MW R.H. Saunders Generating Station. Constructed between 1954 and 1958 as part of the larger Saint Lawrence Seaway project, the dam created Lake St. Lawrence. Aside from providing significant amounts of renewable power, the dam regulates the St. Lawrence River and affords passage for the navigation of large vessels. Despite the enormous economic advantages to the dam, it required the relocation of 6,500 people and caused harm to the surrounding environment. Efforts have been made over the years to improve shoreline and fish habitats.

The dam regulates the level of Lake Ontario.^[6]