The plant was intended to make use of water power. A dam was constructed across Snowey's Creek, a perennial stream. The dam was about half a mile from the furnace and had a 50-foot wall. The water passed through a channel and into a flume with a fall of 97 feet. About half way along the flume a smaller horizontal waterwheel powered a sawmill, with the water continuing in the remaining part of the flume to the main waterwheel. After the waterwheel, the water ran through an underground passage to flow into the creek.
