Old dams, new opportunities

By The Gazette Editorial Board

----

Decades ago, hundreds of small dams were built on Iowa's major rivers for purposes important at the time - generating energy, powering grain and lumber mills, and providing some flood control.

But many, if not most, of these nearly 250 remaining “low-head dams” serve little purpose today. Many are in bad repair. And the powerful churn created by the water that pours over these dams presents a hazard for swimmers, boaters and anglers.

Because of the public liability concerns on these rivers, which can also jeopardize insurability, the state can order remedial action.

So, what to do? Repair or replace? Remove? Modify? Re-purpose? Each dam presents different conditions. And who pays?

The state has a program that works with local groups and governments, helping them determine what action would reduce the safety hazard while bringing other benefits for communities and also enhancing the river ecology.

Starting in 2008, the state spent between $200,000 and $1.8 million annually to help remove or lower some of the dams deemed safety hazards. But there were no appropriations for the current fiscal year or next as legislators and the governor continued budget belt-tightening.

Which means local jurisdictions that want to do something about their dam, are, at least for now, on their own unless they can attract a federal grant.

Safety issues

We think it would be shortsighted if a modest, targeted level of state funding were not restored.

Public liability and safety are among the reasons to continue this initiative, although the number of dam-related deaths - about 150 since 1900 - is relatively few compared to other public safety issues. Low-head dams create a dangerous “roller” effect, from which it is extremely difficult to escape for anyone who is sucked into it.

However, mitigating these dams also presents opportunities to improve recreation activities and fishing quality, as well as return the river to a more natural, healthier state. All of which can boost local economies and the quality of life.

A success story

When a low-head dam is in need of repair or replacement, the cost can run from the tens of thousands of dollars to the millions, depending on the condition and the scale. Communities with such a problem often can't justify such an expense because there's little or no return on the investment.

But there are alternatives that “can take a lemon and turn them into lemonade,” said Nate Hoogeveen, who coordinates the low-head dam program for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

“Charles City is the best of example” so far of how a dam mitigation project can impact the economic and recreational opportunities of a community.

The $900,000 project, with $378,000 of state support, was completed last year. One of two downtown dams was lowered and a white-water rapids park with a kayak course was constructed. A fish ladder was installed to improve mobility of several species, and the riverbanks were reshaped to improve accessibility and aesthetics.

The results?

“We haven't really measured the economic impact yet, because we were only open part of the year last year,” said Tom Brownlow, city administrator. “This year will give us a better idea.

“But we're seeing more and more use and visitors. Many local merchants have said it's had a positive effect on their businesses.”

Several canoe and kayak events are planned in June, including the first Iowa Games kayak competition.

Anglers there report that the fishing has greatly improved the size, number and variety caught.

The DNR permit for the Charles City project required proof that it wouldn't make flooding worse. In fact, Brownlow said, the quiet areas of water outside of the rapids “seemed to minimize” flooding damage during a high-water period shortly after installation.

Not every obsolete low-head dam is a Charles City white-water park in the making, of course. Some dams still serve an important purpose, such as the Lakehurst Dam on the Maquoketa River that generates power and protects against Asian carp infestation. Or the roller dam in south Cedar Rapids on the Cedar River, built in 1966 to assure an adequate supply of water to cool Alliant Energy's Prairie Creek Generating Station.

Prioritizing dams

And with so many low-head dams in Iowa, it's necessary to prioritize. What are the potential benefits of various mitigation options, and how does each dam compare?

The DNR's 2010 dam mitigation plan did exactly that. It focuses on four basic goals, essentially:

l Address deteriorating dams before they fail.

l Reduce liability and the likelihood of accidents and deaths while diversifying and expanding recreation opportunities.

l Enhance the river's environment and connectivity to improve conditions for fish and other wildlife.

l Maximize the effectiveness of public money for all of the above.

Part of that plan includes ranking Tier 1 and Tier 2 dams - those with the strongest and next-strongest combined potential benefits from mitigation.

Including Charles City, the DNR program has helped complete three mitigation projects. Five others are expected to advance within the year because of prior state funding, local money and other sources already committed.

“We've had a few projects to show other communities, and a lot more people are knocking at the door these days,” Hoogeveen said. But without additional state funding for grants that typically fund up to half a project's cost, the DNR program may soon be limited to offering advice.

$1 million allocation?

An appropriation of

$1 million a year “would be a reasonable level considering these economic times, and we could still make huge progress by managing those funds for the best projects and not having to add staff,” Hoogeveen said.

Whether legislators and the governor would agree anytime soon remains to be seen.

But Iowa's fiscal condition is sound overall and the economy is tracking positively. A $1 million allocation to the low-head dam program looks like

a relative bargain in a

$6 billion state budget, as well as an effective investment in a priceless natural resource: our rivers.

n Comments: thegazette.com/

category/opinion/editorial or

editorial@sourcemedia.net