Mount Morris Dam on the Genesee River functions as a dry bed flood-control dam, keeping the upstream side dry to maximize storage capacity for floodwaters and releasing water downstream after river conditions subside. This approach preserves the scenic, natural, recreational, cultural, geological, and ecological benefits protected by the Genesee River Protection Act of 1989, so no upstream reservoir is maintained. Water in front of the dam is backed up by a small weir dam at the downstream power station near Mount Morris, which produced electricity until 2000. Floating debris is trapped by a log boom anchored to the gorge walls to keep it from passing through the conduits, and the debris is removed annually. Authorized under the Flood Control Act of 1944, the dam was required to have the capability to produce electricity, but generating enough power would require a 100-foot pool that would irreparably damage the Genesee Gorge environment and sharply reduce flood-storage capacity. Water released through the dam is controlled by a stilling basin with 73 eight-foot-high concrete baffles in two rows and by training walls that reduce water velocity, direct flow, and prevent erosion that could compromise the structure.
