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Archaeology Notes
Event ID 653071
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/653071
NX75SW 37 70237 54486
Tongland Dam [NAT]
OS 1:10,000 map, 1981.
For (associated) Tongland Power Station (NX 69512 53559), see NX65SE 86.00.
For (associated) Tongland Loch (Tongland Reservoir, centred NX 704 554), see NX75NW 78.
For (associated) Tongland Tunnel or Aqueduct (NX 7012 5458 to NX 6951 5356), see NX75SW 43.
Tongland dam, contractor: John Howard and Co. Ltd. The Tongland Dam has been built across a gorge of the River Dee a few miles above the town of Kirkcudbright (NX65NE 67); it marks the lowest limit of the catchment area. This dam holds up the water in the river and creates a small reservoir with a top water level about 120ft (36.6m) above OD.
The major portion of the dam is of horizontal arch type, measuring about 70ft (21.3m) in height from river bed level. To the E, it is continued as a mass concrete gravity structure as far as a pair of large free roller flood gates, beyond which there is a fixed flood spillway 300ft (91.5m) long.
Anon. 1934 ['Galloway water Power Scheme'].
Tongland Dam
Purpose: to create head and provide daily storage
Type: arch and gravity
Maximum height of footway above river-bed: 72ft (22m)
Total length along crest: 977ft (297.9m)
Length of arch portion of dam: 290ft (88.4m)
Radius of arch portion of dam: 145ft (44.2m)
Batter of downstream face of arch portion of dam: 4 to 1
Spillway level: 120ft (36.6m) OD
Normal maximum depth over crest: 3ft (0.9m)
Overfall spillway length: 325ft (99.1m), also two floodgates, each 25ft (7.6m) by 31ft (9.5m)
Normal maximum spillway capacity: 30000 cusecs
Anon. 1938 ['Galloway Hydro-Electric Development'].
This dam is situated at the S end of Tongland Reservoir (NX75NW 78), a major element in Stage I of the Galloway Hydro-Electric Scheme. It dams the River Dee, which here forms the boundary between the parishes of Tongland and Kirkcudbright.
A spillway and fish ladder are situated to the E of the dam.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 17 October 2005.
