Blackwater Dam, Kinlochleven Hydroelectric Scheme And Former Aluminium Smelter is a Grade A listed building in the Highland local planning authority area, Scotland. First listed on 14 November 2011. Hydroelectric scheme. 1 related planning application.

Blackwater Dam, Kinlochleven Hydroelectric Scheme And Former Aluminium Smelter

WRENN ID
salt-panel-crimson
Grade
A
Local Planning Authority
Highland
Constituency
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber MP: Brendan O'Hara (SNP)
Country
Scotland
Date first listed
14 November 2011
Type
Hydroelectric scheme
OS grid reference
NN 247 603
Coordinates
56.70201, -4.86378
Source
Historic Environment Scotland listing

Also on this page: related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

Blackwater Dam, part of the Kinlochleven Hydroelectric Scheme and former aluminium smelter, was built between 1904 and 1909 by PW Meik and CS Meik, with later alterations. It is a large gravity dam constructed with concrete panels and features a central domed turret. The dam is made of concrete with red sandstone ashlar used for the turret and rock-faced stone for the basement. It has stepped concrete abutments on the flared downstream face at ground level, a plain concrete parapet except at the spillway, and cast-iron railings along the downstream face.

The control tower is a single structure located off-center to the right (south). It has a moulded cornice and a corniced blocking course. The tower features evenly spaced bipartite windows set in recessed surrounds and is topped with a domed leaded roof.

Local climate

Blackwater Dam, Kinlochleven Hydroelectric Scheme And Former Aluminium Smelter sits in one of the wettest parts of the UK, with an average of 1,960 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 99% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 93% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 79 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 99% of listed buildings. Of these, 60 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • No EPC on record for this property
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 1 application
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Valve-House. Excluding Aqueduct To East And Pipes To West, Kinlochleven Hydroelectric Scheme And Former Aluminium Smelter Grade A 4.6 km
  2. Bridge, Old Military Track, Kinlochleven Grade B 5.1 km
  3. Kinlochleven Village Water Supply Dam Grade B 5.2 km
  4. Etive Bridge, Kingshouse Grade B 5.6 km
  5. Bridge, Kingshouse Hotel Grade B 5.8 km
  6. Powerhouse. Excluding Pipes To East And Tailrace To West, Kinlochleven Hydroelectric Scheme And Former Aluminium Smelter Grade A 5.9 km
  7. Kinlochleven, Former Kinlochleven Aluminium Works, Ice Factor, Main Block Grade B 6.1 km
  8. Small Silo, Ice Factor, Former Kinlochleven Aluminium Works, Kinlochleven Grade B 6.1 km
  9. Royal Bank Of Scotland, Leven Road, Kinlochleven Grade C 6.4 km
  10. Road Viaduct, Leven Road, Kinlochleven Grade A 6.6 km