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Kendoon, Aqueduct, Dam And Outlet Valve
Dam (Period Unassigned), Outlet Valve (20th Century)
Site Name Kendoon, Aqueduct, Dam And Outlet Valve
Classification Dam (Period Unassigned), Outlet Valve (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Black Water Burn Dam; Blackwater Burn Intake; Blackwater Dam; Kendoon Loch; Kendoon Reservoir; Galloway Hydro-electric Scheme
Canmore ID 276225
Site Number NX68NW 108.01
NGR NX 61436 88471
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/276225
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Dalry (Stewartry)
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Stewartry
- Former County Kirkcudbrightshire
NX68NW 108.01 61436 88471
Dam [NAT]
Outlet Valve [NAT]
OS 1:10,000 map, 1981.
Formerly entered in error at NX 61432 88349.
Blackwater Dam
Purpose: to form intake for Kendoon aqueduct (NX68NW 108.00)
Type: arch and gravity
Maximum height of footway above river-bed: 50ft (15.2m)
Total length along crest (including intake): 610ft (186m)
Length of arch portion of dam: 144ft (43.9m)
Radius of arch portion of dam: 125ft (7.6m)
Batter of downstream face of arch portion of dam: 4 to 1
Spillways: none
Anon. 1938 ['Galloway Hydro-Electric Development'].
These structures control the supply of water from the Black Water Burn into the pipeline (NX68NW 109) leading to Carsfad Power Station (NX68NW 26); any excess passes into the Water of Ken, which the burn joins at NX 6018 8853.
The structures form a major component of Stage II of the Galloway Hydro-Electric Scheme.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 25 October 2005.
Gibb and Partners et al. 1937.
Field Visit (2010)
This dam regulates water from the Blackwater burn and the open cut (fed by Kendoon Loch) entering the buried pipeline to be conducted down to Kendoon powerhouse. This dam is integrated with the functioning of the aqueduct which carries water from the Kendoon loch outlet to the Blackwater dam. This dam is part of a three dam system for this loch with the Kendoon Dam controlling outflow into an aqueduct leading to the Blackwater dam where water enters a buried pipeway with surge tower and thence into the powerhouse at Kendoon. The Deuch dam controls flow into the River Deuch to maintain the level of the loch. This is a small dam with architectural design limited to a small turret housing the mechanism controlling the outflow. In our present state of knowledge the dam appears to exhibit little significant technical innovation. It is functionally subservient to other dams supplying Kendoon powerhouse. P L Payne, 1988, 24; E Wood, 2002, 50; G Hill, 1984.
