Lowhead Dam Removal Activities
Why Remove Lowhead Dams?
Lowhead dams are one of the mysterious and frustrating features of our local rivers. These are artificial structures of stone, timber or other material, which are less than 15 feet in height and extending across the channel. Ohio’s rivers are dotted with these structures, and the results are usually not good. A normal unobstructed river naturally meanders on its bed course within a floodplain, with the passage of time. But each artificial lowhead dam turns the river into a stagnant small lake in the impounded area which may stretch for a mile or more upstream. The water passing over a dam can pose lethal safety hazards and have thus been referred as “drowning machines”. Several lowhead dams are known to exist in Alum Creek.
Why were they installed? Sometimes it’s obvious– Westerville’s dam provides a pool for the city’s water intake; another small dam on our creek has a utility pipe crossing under it. But at least two significant lowhead dams- 4 to 6 feet tall each, around Nelson Road and E. Broad Street -one near the north end of Nelson Park, and one just north of the swinging footbridge between Academy Park and Wolfe Park are not believed to have any useful purpose now. The stagnant water behind them is not suitable for most fish and other diverse life that a healthy river normally can support.
FACT is pleased to expect some great changes for the better soon here, as we are moving ahead with a project (supported by US EPA section 319 grant, administered via Ohio EPA) to remove these two lowhead dams in the central urban part – between Columbus & Bexley – of our watershed. Check back here often for updates on these projects.
FACT Lowhead Dam Project in the News:
Special Edition FACT Newsletter lowhead dam feature published January 2009
FACT Special Edition Newsletter on Lowhead Dams published October 2007
For press releases, local news media coverage, and other publications regarding FACT’s Lowhead Dam Removal Project, please see below and FACT Publications section.
Alum Creek Lowhead Dam Removal Improves Environment. FACT story on page 6 of state environmental bi-monthly newspaper, published Feb. 2009 EarthWatch Ohio.
Alum Creek Lowhead Dams’ Removal Improves Environment. Winter 2009 edition of Buckeye Basins – web news produced by the Ohio State University Extension, Watershed Team.
FACT press release, Nov. 10, 2008. Nelson Park lowhead dam to be notched by FACT on Nov. 11, 2008.
Columbus Councilmember Priscilla Tyson’s Corner Newsletter. Oct. 31, 2008 Autumn edition (page 3) recognizes FACT lowhead dam event.
Celebration Event scheduled at Academy Park for Oct. 14, 2008. FACT Press Release dated Oct. 8, 2008
Columbus Council Member Priscilla Tyson Speech. Presented on Oct. 14, 2008 – FACT’s Celebration Event Ceremony, Academy Park.
Two low-head dams to be removed. Published August 14, 2008 in ThisWeek Bexley.
NBC WCMH TV Channel 10 News. Paul Stelzer aired evening Aug 7, 2008 (text)
Two Alum Creek Dams to be Removed . Published August 7, 2008, The Columbus Dispatch
Two lowhead Dams: Nelson Park and Wolfe Park/Academy Park; FACT’s Project – existing sites, maps, recommendations, designs:
- FACT Special Edition Newsletter on Lowhead Dams Nelson Park lowhead dam Nelson ParkPublic Informational Meetings about lowhead dams at Wolfe Park house by FACT. First info meeting held on Aug.14, 2008. Photos courtesy of Bill Minckler & the City of Bexley.
- Consulting Engineer Firm contracted by FACT
- Wolfe Park/Academy Park
- Sign of historical time safety repair (Academy Park weir)
- Photos of existing lowhead dams (from August 31, 2008)
- Wolfe Park/Academy Park lowhead dam
- Existing conditions & proposal (illustrations) June 2008
- Project site map, aerial, alternate possibilities (4 pages) August 2007
- History
- Burgess & Niple, Inc., consulting engineer firm of Columbus, OH, selected by FACT as the primary project contractor. Additional Lowhead Dam News, Resources, & White Papers:Ohio DNR’s website lists over 45 such obsolete dams removed from our creeks and rivers.Olentangy River lowhead dam removal project website (located: 5th Ave & SR 315 at The Ohio State University Campus in Columbus, OH )
- Dam removal high priority, Corps says Olentangy River published June 16, 2008, The Columbus Dispatch.
- Warning signs sought after drowning at dam Olentangy River published June 10, 2008, The Columbus Dispatch.
- Ohio State Crew Club Needs to Find a New Home, (Olentangy) Dam’s removal will shrink part of the river they’ll use to practice” published Jan. 7, 2008, The Columbus Dispatch.
- “Dam Demolition Will Leave River Smaller, Cleaner -Olentangy Work will cost City $640,000″ published Dec. 8, 2007, The Columbus Dispatch.
- “Flow Gently – City should spend money on dam removal instead of fines“ Olentangy River, Letter to Editor Nov 14, 2007, The Columbus Dispatch.
American Rivers is a national non-profit conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring healthy natural rivers and the variety of life they sustain for people, fish, & wildlife.Maine Conservationists Reach Milestone in Plan to Buy 3 Dams. Penobscot River Restoration Trust, a Maine environmental coalition, has raised $25 million it needed. They will remove two of the three dams acquired from a power company and build a fish run around the third, opening up 1,000 miles of the Penobscot and its tributaries, home to most of the country’s Atlantic salmon population. Published August 22, 2008 by the New York Times.
- Heinz Center a nonprofit, nonpartisan institution dedicated to improving the scientific and economic foundation for environmental policy through multi-sectoral collaboration among industry, government, academia, and environmental organizations. Click on publications where you can download Heinz reports on ‘Dam Removal Research: Status and Prospects ‘(2003) and Dam Removal: Science and Decision Making’ (2002).
- OhioEPA, Section 319 Framework for Lowhead Dam Removal Decision-Making (PDF)
- Ohio EPA link for FY2005 details about Ohio grant projects for dam removal and river restorations, nonpoint source pollution, etc. See page 17 for Alum Creek.
- Removal of Lowhead Dams
8 1/2″ minute video from Ohio Dept. Natural Resoources Div. of Wildlife - featuring Wolfe Creek lowhead dam removal project. Because these dams are ecologically unsound and can be harmful to fish populations, the Division of Wildlife is making an effort to remove them from Ohio waters.
Academy/Wolfe Park
Academy Park/Wolfe Park lowhead dam
Tree planting & Honeysuckle removal – Sept. 27, 2008 Overview Slide Show Individual Downloadable Images
Dam Removal – day 1 Oct. 6, 2008 Overview Slide Show Individual Downloadable Images
Dam Removal – day 2 Oct. 7, 2008 Temporary gravel causeway
Dam Removal – day 4 Oct. 9, 2008 Panoramic view of east side removed
Dam Removal – day 6 Oct. 14, 2008 Panoramic view with shovel
Dam Removal – day 7 Oct. 17, 2008 Panoramic view photo-7
Photo shot Oct. 19 published by Columbus Dispatch on Oct. 20, 2008
Dam Removal – Completed Oct. 23, 2008 no more lowhead dam; location in high water Oct. 25, 2008
Celebration Event Ceremony held Oct. 14, 2008 at Academy Park featuring speakers: Ohio EPA Nonpoint Source Section Manager, Russ Gibson; Columbus City Council Member, Priscilla Tyson; Columbus Recreation & Parks Director, Alan McKnight; FACT VP, Jerry Holloway; FACT Watershed Coordinator, Kim Williams; Communications Chair, David Roseman
Misc Photos:
Ohio EPA guests. Susan, Margaret Ann, Ellen, Alan. Media – Erin Strouse (OEPA PIO) & Marcus Thorpe (NBC WCMH-TV 4)
Nelson Park lowhead dam
Dam Removal Nov. 10, 2008 – Day 1 Staged equipment
First notch & breach Nov. 11- Day 2
First hammering (wmv)
Initial notch (wmv)
Full Breach (wmv)
Dam removal Nov. 13 – Day 4 Bexley side– view of east bank
Dam removal Nov. 19 Almost Gone
Dam removal Nov. 20 All gone – fully restored river site Upstream view – no more northern pool
Nelson Park
