Bosher's Dam
| Bosher's Dam | |
|---|---|
A bank of the James River, with Bosher's Dam in background. | |
| Location | Henrico County, Virginia |
| Purpose | Navigation, Water Supply |
| Status | In use |
| Opening date | 1840 |
| Owner(s) | City of Richmond, Virginia |
| Operator(s) | City of Richmond, Virginia |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Concrete gravity |
| Impounds | James River |
| Height | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Power Station | |
| Operator(s) | City of Richmond, Virginia |
Bosher's Dam is a historic low head dam (also called a weir) built upon the James River just west of Richmond, Virginia. It is a 12-foot-high stone structure which interrupts the natural flow of Virginia's largest self-contained river by spanning the waterway between suburban Tuckahoe in Henrico County and the western part of Richmond just west of the Edward E. Willey Bridge. Such dams are often referred to as "drowning machines" by paddlers due to their dangerous nature. Bosher's Dam is not an exception and has caused a number of deaths.