Judging from the Google search results, there are a lot of eagles in this area.
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| UnchartedLancaster 230mw "The second is the Conowingo Dam, near Conowingo, Maryland, built between 1926 and 1928. It is one of the largest non-federal hydroelectric dams in the U.S." |
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| Support Conowingo Dam posted Take a step back through history to when the Conowingo Dam was constructed in 1928... Jan F. Nethen: Doesn't look any different today. Dave Mercer: Seems like they only run the 3 generators outside. Brett Wanamaker shared |
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| History’s Mirror posted The aerial view of Conowingo Dam and Power Plant circa 1943 captures a striking engineering achievement on the Susquehanna River in Maryland, near Bel Air. Completed in 1928 after just two years of construction by the Arundel Corporation for the Philadelphia Electric Company, the massive gravity dam had already been generating hydroelectric power for over a decade by the early 1940s. At the time, it ranked as one of the largest non-federal hydroelectric projects in the United States, second only to Niagara Falls in output, with its original capacity of 252 megawatts powering homes and industries across the region. The photograph reveals the long, curved concrete spillway stretching across the river, holding back a vast reservoir that submerged the original town of Conowingo and an earlier bridge, now replaced by U.S. Route 1 running atop the structure. Below the dam, the power plant's buildings and turbines stand ready to convert the river's flow into electricity, while the surrounding landscape shows rural fields, wooded areas, and the turbulent waters rushing through the spillways. This image from the World War II era highlights the dam's enduring role as a reliable source of renewable energy during a time of national industrial demand, symbolizing progress in harnessing natural forces for modern needs. Today, upgraded to produce up to 572 megawatts, Conowingo remains Maryland's largest renewable energy producer. |
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| ConstellationEnergy "The Conowingo Dam currently has 11 turbines, which can produce up to 572 megawatts (MW) of electricity." 300 eagles gather by Thanksgiving. |
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| Support Conowingo Dam posted Did You Know: The Conowingo Dam generates as much electricity in 10 years from falling water as a coal plant generates from burning 7.5 million tons of coal. |
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| AtlasObscura, AARONMHARRINGTON/CC BY-SA 2.0 The dam is 94' tall and 4,648' wide. "Hailed as a stunning feat of engineering at the time of its construction, the Conowingo is now equally famous as a busy feeding ground for birds–especially American bald eagles. The dam creates unique feeding opportunities for bald eagles and other fishing birds. The turbines’ intake valves suck water and fish through the dam, often stunning or killing the fish and depositing them downstream for easy capture. Additionally, migrating fish attempting to travel upriver get stuck below the dam and gather in its tailrace. During the winter months, fish remain readily accessible to the birds because the water flowing through the dam does not freeze. The dam’s tailrace is a smorgasbord that attracts feeding birds from miles around. Over 200 species of birds have been observed and documented in the area. Herons, egrets, gulls, osprey, vultures, and waterfowls all gather at the Conowingo Dam to feast, but the bald eagles are the true stars of the show. They engage in aerial acrobatics as they dive to capture fish in their enormous yellow talons, with their wingtips and tail feathers brushing the water. Airborne battles ensue as other eagles try to steal a successful eagle’s catch. The flashing red lights and sirens indicating when the dam is about to release water often trigger a Pavlovian response in the birds. The eagles chirp and position themselves for a fresh deposit of fish." |
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| Photo via WaterKeepersChesapeake The debris caught behind the powerhouse illustrates that cleaning up debris is an issue. |
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| CivilGEO Inc. Software posted Historic Conowingo Dam Agreement Boosts Chesapeake Bay Governor Wes Moore announced a landmark agreement [Oct 2025] with Constellation Energy to improve water quality, restore ecosystems, and modernize the Conowingo Dam. This historic deal: - Cleans the Susquehanna River and supports fisheries and recreation - Restores habitats for fish and freshwater mussels - Removes trash and debris and manages invasive species - Balances environmental restoration with renewable hydroelectric power The agreement secures sustainable energy, protects the Chesapeake Bay, and strengthens Maryland’s Bay economy. |
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| 1:48 video @ 0:24 via ExelonCorp They do remove about 600 tons of debris each year. |
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| 1:48 video @ 1:07 |
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| 1 of 143 photos in TripAdviser Many of the photos are of eagles. |
Sep 2018:
July 2018: |
| 0:59 video @ 0:45 |
Wouldn't the sediment flow into the Chesapeake Bay be even worse if the river was free running? The problem is that, after 100 years of sediment settling behind the dam, the reservoir is now filled with sediment, which floods scour and wash downstream. [ChesapeakeBay]
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| 1:40 video @ 0:17 |
56:50 PBS video
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