Plans to fix dam underway, still in preliminary stages
Aaron Burch
Issue date: 3/1/10 Section: Campus
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The goals of the renovation include addressing the safety concerns of the dam, design for maintenance and operational efficiency, improvement of fish passage through the Flint river, to create connections for pedestrians and visually overall, improve the recreational capabilities of the river, naturalize the river as a catalyst for redevelopment and to match the implementation of funding.
Spearheading the project is the WadeTrim Corporation, in addition to the Flint River Watershed Coalition and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
“Hamilton Dam has been an issue for 30 years,” said Jason Kenyon, vice president of WadeTrim. “One of the problems that has been an issue has been funding. We’ve only been able to get enough funding to make minor repairs to the dam. Finally, the movement behind getting the dam renovated has raised enough attention that the city of Flint and state of Michigan are doing something about it.”
The dam’s main purpose is to regulate the water level upstream for the water treatment plant. The Hamilton Dam was classified by the state of Michigan and the federal government as a “high-hazard” dam, making it one of the most dangerous unsecured dams in Michigan.
“The state of Michigan has ordered the city of Flint to lower the level of the river to the minimal level to allow the treatment plant to function,” Kenyon said. “The last two years, the water has been down at the minimal level of operation because of the order.”
However, the WadeTrim Corporation isn’t going alone in this endeavor.
“The Flint River Watershed Coalition have been a driving force for years, not only with the dam but with the Flint river altogether. The dam has been a primary task,” Kenyon said. “A number of stakeholders have been talking for years for action, and it has taken until now for action to take place.”
However, before any action takes place, the word on everyone’s mouth is money and funding.
“Flint is funding the development of the project, and there is the possibility of federal money coming from the Water Resources Development Act, which is a federal fund for large-scale water projects and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative from the Obama administration,” Kenyon said. “However, we’re hoping that a number of private organizations are willing to step up to help fund this project.
The cavalry for this project isn’t too far over the hill.
“The Downtown Development Authority will definitely lend its voice in favor of the renovation,” said Larry Ford, acting chief executive officer of the Flint Downtown Development Authority. “We will not be acting alone with this issue, as it will be an all inclusive operation.”
Ford also expressed concerns about the condition of the dam in its deteriorated state.
“It has reached the point where the dam could collapse at any time,” Ford said. “If that were to happen, the entirety of downtown Flint would be flooded.”
However, the issue of money is becoming less of an issue following the proposed idea for the dam.
“The proposed design of the dam is exciting because it’s projected to not be as expensive as we thought it would be,” Ford said. “Rather than replicating what has been created, there have been talks of creating a ‘rapids dam’, which is easier on the eyes and more cost effective.”
“This is a project we all need to embrace,” Ford said. “If we could get started on it yesterday, I would be more than happy.” The student outlook of the dam renovation is optimistic.
“I think it needs to happen. It’s an embarrassing part of campus,” said Cade Surface, junior communications major. “I spoke with one of engineers regarding the possibility of adding a pedestrian trail across the river. I think it would add to the University of Michigan-Flint campus as well as making both sides of campus more accessible.”
“I’m just happy that something is actually happening with this issue,” Surface said.
The soonest that action can be anticipated is 2012.
Aaron can be reached at aaburch@umflint.edu.
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