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MHG55076 - Spey Dam

Summary

A later addition to the Lochaber hydro-electric scheme, built 1942/3.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

The Spey Dam was built in 1942/3 as part of a later addition to the Lochaber scheme to meet the increased demand for aluminium prompted by the outbreak of WWII.

Photographs of thje site were submitted to the HER by C Fudge in 2008. <1>

This site was inspected as part of a Scotland-wide review of hydropower features conducted by Historic Scotland to inform decisions on listing:
"Built 1942/3, this dam was part of a later addition to the Lochaber scheme to meet the increased demand for aluminium prompted by the outbreak of WWII. The concrete dam has a shallow gravity section with a mass fill section to the north. The control centre and fish pass are located to the south end of the dam. Agitators tot eh spill and concrete wave wall. The dam has a large compensation section to help regulate the flow down the River Spey. Water flows via an open cut and then tunnel into Laggan Reservoir."
"The Lochaber water power scheme was one fo the most ambitious civil engineering projects of the twentieth century in Britain. The installed capacity of the scheme was extremely large for its date (86,750MW), and was not bettered until 1950 at Sloy. The scheme is still in operation today, providing power to the adjacent aluminium smelter." <2>

NOTE: The site was ultimately not put forward for listing.

An archaeological evaluation of a site compound area in advance of development at Spey Dam near Laggan was undertaken by GUARD Archaeology Ltd. Seven trenches were excavated, amounting to 5% of the evaluation area. Following the discovery of hearth remains and a dry stone structure in Trench 7, it was concluded that all ground-breaking works be excluded from a 10 m buffer zone around this specific location. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NN 5819 9363 (83m by 277m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NN59SE
Civil Parish	LAGGAN
Geographical Area	BADENOCH AND STRATHSPEY

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (1)