Lowhead Dam Removal

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. Several lowhead dams are known to exist in Alum Creek.

Why were they installed? Sometimes it's obvious-- Westerville's dam provides 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, one near the north end of Nelson Park, and one just north of the 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 an Ohio EPA grant) to remove these two lowhead dams in the central urban part of our watershed. Check back here for updates on these projects.

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FACT Lowhead Dam Project In The News:

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 FACT Publications section.

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Consulting Engineer Firm contracted by FACT:

Burgess & Niple, Inc. consulting engineer firm of Columbus, OH

has been selected by FACT as the primary project contractor.

Check their Project Websites for related updates on FACT's lowhead dam work.

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Additional Lowhead Dam Resources & White Papers:

Ohio DNR's website lists over 45 such obsolete dams removed from our creeks and rivers.

OhioEPA, Section 319 Framework for Lowhead Dam Removal Decision-Making

provides a PDF doc.

Olentangy River lowhead dam removal project website

located: 5th Ave & SR 315 at The Ohio State University Campus in Columbus, OH

"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.

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).