Water Power
In 1859, the Holyoke Water Power Company succeeded the Hadley Falls Company and encouraged diverse industries. The water company operated two ways: it sold water and property rights, and it funded interested companies, thus creating its own customers.
In 1885, the Water Power Company first generated and sold electricity.
To distribute river water to factory turbines, the Holyoke Water Power Company dug with pick and shovel New England's largest systerm of power canals from 1847 to 1893. It was 4 1/2 miles long. Canals distributed mechanical energy. The system produced 30,000 horsepower, enough to drive a dozen diesel locomotives. It could power over 100 large mills.
Water from the Connecticut River enters the first level canal upstream from the dam at Holyoke and runs under the upper mills to turn the turbines. he water exiting from the first level mills feeds the mills ont he second level canal. The third level canal utilizes water from both the first and second level canals. Thus, the same water is used by two or three times over, before returning to the Connecticut 650 feet below entry level.
Holyoke's canals are exceptionally large by New England standards - 50 to 140 feet across and up to 25 feet deep. About 10 billion gallons of water move through the canals on days when there is enough river flow to run all the hydroelectric wheels.
