Redridge Steel Dam

It is difficult to imagine a dam constructed of steel; however, for a short period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries engineers experimented with doing exactly that. Such structures are anchored into the earth at various points. They seemed promising at the time because they were faster and cheaper to construct than masonry dams and steel is more flexible and easier to repair than concrete.

The Redridge Steel Dam in Michigan is the second of three steel dams completed in the United States, and possibly in the world. It was built in 1901 to supply water to nearby stamp mills. Of the other two dams, the Ashfork-Bainbridge Steel Dam in Arizona still stands, while the Hauser Lake Dam in Montana failed shortly after it was constructed.

Furthermore, the Hauser Lake Dam ended up being the last of the steel dams ever built. After World War I, the price of steel increased greatly, making such dams unfavorable compared to concrete ones. Furthermore, it is unknown how such dams would cope with a larger amount of water, as the ones constructed are relatively small. As such, the Redridge Steel Dam remains a rare survivor of a unique chapter in engineering history.