John H. Kerr Dam

John H. Kerr Dam
John H. Kerr Dam
LocationMecklenburg County, Virginia, USA
Coordinates36°35′53″N 78°17′55″W / 36.59806°N 78.29861°W / 36.59806; -78.29861
Construction began1947 (1947)
Opening date1953 (1953)
Operator(s)U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Dam and spillways
Type of damConcrete gravity
ImpoundsRoanoke River
Height144 ft (44 m)
Length2,785 ft (849 m)
Reservoir
CreatesKerr Lake
Surface area50,000 acres (20,000 ha)
Power Station
Turbines7 Francis units
Installed capacity227 MW
Annual generation426.749 GWh

John H. Kerr Dam is concrete gravity-dam located on the Roanoke River in Virginia, creating Kerr Lake. The dam was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1947 and 1953 for the purposes of flood control, and hydropower. The dam also serves wildlife resources, forest conservation, and public recreational uses. The John H. Kerr Dam currently produces over 426 GWh of electricity annually and has prevented over $385 million in flood damage since completion. The dam is named after John H. Kerr, a Congressman from North Carolina who was instrumental in authorizing the construction.[1]