Our paddle today covers the length of Falls Reservoir. At 2 miles, it is the smallest of the Yadkin River lakes. Created in 1919 by ALCOA, now owned by Cube Hydro Carolina, the Falls Reservoir is a tiny 204 acres. However, our paddle was focused on the Narrows Dam which backs up Badin Lake.
Along the way, I wanted to see if Moccasin Creek waterfall had water. It did. A first sighting of this waterfall for me.
Swamp Rosemallow
We made our way toward the dam along the eastern shoreline. Finally we were in sight of the eastern spillway on the dam. The dam's storyline dates back to the late 1800s. An English engineer, Egbert Hambley formed the North Carolina Power Company in 1898. His scheme was to build a dam across the Yadkin to provide power for his mining company which was producing gold, copper and granite. The site he chose was about 2 miles upriver from the Narrows and the site of the present day dam. Using granite from his quarry, he began construction. Dam construction proved more costly then he envisioned. Things slowed until Hambley enticed George Whitney and a group of financiers from Pittsburgh to sign on. Whitney bought the Power company and renamed it Whitney Company. Construction continued in 1901. Not only would a dam be built, but a 4.5 mile long canal would take water from the dam to the Narrows where the powerhouse was to be built. The canal used valleys and low spots to maneuver 4.5 miles to travel reach a spot 2 miles downriver.
Things took a turn in 1906 when Hambley died. Then in Oct of 1907, the panic of 1907 happened when a couple NY bankers tried to use a short squeeze on United Copper. The ensuing panic bankrupted George Whitney. Things lay idle until 1913 when Adrien Badin of L'Aluminium Francais bought the Whitney project. Their survey showed a better site for dam, at the Narrows. They proceeded to design and build a town to house the dam construction workers and later the aluminum smelter workers. The town of Badin is today on the National Register of Historic Places for the French influence of its architecture. Southern Aluminum Co was formed as a subsidiary of L'Aluminium Francais. In 1914 war broke out in Europe. France being in the middle of it, called all reservists to come home and fight. That prompted ALCOA to purchase the project in 1915. The dam was completed and began producing power in 1917. The remnants of the Whitney dam can be seen when water levels are drawn down.
Our paddle to the dam was turned back by a very strong current. We paddled back toward the Falls Reservoir Boat Ramp. Along the way, I was caught in a strong current moving me from east to west. I'm guessing there is some topography underwater that caused that.
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