The Smithville hydroelectric dam is located on the Grand River where it intersects with Smithville Road, just outside of the City of Eaton Rapids, Michigan.  The original Smithville Dam was erected for mechanical hydropower for a sawmill.  Later it was redeveloped by Miller Dairy and the Eaton County Rural Electric Authority.  The project features are an earthen embankment, two vertical slide gates, one radial gate, an unregulated overflow spillway, and a powerhouse that has three vertical turbine generator units rated at 600 horsepower and 450 kilowatts per hour.  Annual generation is approximately 2,100,000 kilowatt hours per year.  A comparable coal fired generator would consume 1,700,000 pounds of coal to produce the same amount of electricity.  Pollution: oxides of sulfur, 35,000 pounds in air pollution. Particulates released into the air, 106,000 pounds.  Hydroelectric air pollution = 0.  Water pollution = 0.