Mille Roches Power House

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The Mille Roches Power House, circa 1957
The Mille Roches Power House, circa 1957
SOS Power House Dive Guide
SOS Power House Dive Guide
SOS Artist's rendition of the working powerhouse
SOS Artist's rendition of the working powerhouse

Contents

[edit] Location

45.02181, -74.83135

In the Saint Lawrence River offshore from Cornwall, Ontario.

[edit] Conditions

Current: Mild

Depth: 30'-75'

Visibility: 5'-50'

Water temperature: From 1C (Feb.) to 25C (July)

[edit] Description

This is the remains of the power generating station in the lost village of Mille Roches. This station was built for the St. Lawrence Power Company on May 23, 1901 and was submerged, along with the rest of Mille Roches, as part of the construction of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in July 1958.

There are three levels at this site.

The water release pit and tailrace is on the deepest level at 75' and has structures that can be penetrated by properly trained and equipped divers.

The second level contains some machinery.

The top level, at 35', is probably the most interesting for the average diver. It contains more machinery and has a large wheel chamber that can be entered from the top and swum through. Boards have been removed along the entire length of this chamber making an ascent possible from anywhere in the chamber.

On the top level an iron disk, roughly 6' in diameter, has been displaced opening an entrance to a room containing an enormous turbine. This is the only way in or out of this room.

[edit] Access

This is a boat dive, very close to the dock in Guidon Park in Cornwall.

[edit] Hazards

There are many opportunities for penetration here, and not all of them are safe.

[edit] Recent Conditions

DateTemperatureVisibility
YYYY-MM-DDXX°XX'

[edit] Links, References, and Other Sources