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Dam RemovalThe WDNR is required to review and approve all applications for dam abandonment and removal. Historically, consideration of abandonment/removal has usually come about because of a failure incident or as the result of a DNR inspection which found significant defects that requires major repairs to correct. Economic, social, and environmental factors all play a significant role in the decision to remove dams. HISTORY AND POLICYIn recent decades, Wisconsin has seen a large number of its historic dams aging and falling into disrepair. There has historically offered the owners of these dams the option of repairing the dam to meet current standards or abandoning the permits for the dam and removing it from the waterway. As dam removals have been accomplished over the last 20 years significant improvements have been noted in water quality, habitat and bio-diversity at many of these sites. The Department’s activities in these situations have included participating in public information meetings to explain the benefits of dam removal to the surrounding ecosystem and assisting with funding to buyout the owners interest in the dam. In the future these types of efforts will probably continue on a selective basis, driven by watershed plans that identify dams which are most detrimental to the ecosystem. These efforts cannot be accomplished without a willing owner or if there is a responsible party that is willing and able to take over ownership of the dam and properly repair, operate and maintain the structure. Approximately 100 dams have been removed from Wisconsin streams since 1967. Removed dams have ranged in size from small dams on trout streams, such as the Cartwright Dam on Shell Creek, medium size dams such as the Ontario Dam on the Kickapoo River and fairly large dams on warm water streams such as the North Avenue Dam on the Milwaukee River. REASONS FOR REMOVALThe three major reasons for dam removals in Wisconsin are;
DECISION MAKING PROCESSThe normal process in which a removal might be considered would involve an inspection of the dam by a certified engineer. The dam owner would then be contacted if an owner can be identified, and notified of any problems found during the inspection. An official order may be given, ordering the dam owner to either perform the needed repairs or remove the structure - repair or removal is their choice. If the dam owner is considering removal, or if it is not economically feasible for the dam owner to repair the dam (dam removal generally costs 1/3rd of estimated reconstruction costs), a public information meeting is usually held in which the WDNR explains the situation and gains public input. If the owner chooses to pursue dam removal, an Environmental Assessment may then be prepared, and noticed with the option for one more public hearing. Once these steps are complete, a permit to abandon the dam will be issued with conditions for removal. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITSWith regard to resource management, the most significant benefits of dam removal include:
In general, carp prefer the warm waters of an impoundment, yet when a dam is removed the cool water species such as trout and bass, generally preferred by anglers, can move back into the river and re-populate. CASE STUDY - WOOLEN MILLSOne case study on the affects of dam removals is the Woolen Mills Dam on the Milwaukee River. This dam had a head of 14’ and flowed 70 acres of floodplain. After several unsuccessful attempts to obtain outside funding to replace the dam, the City of West Bend asked the DNR to help them develop a removal plan which included development of additional parkland within the former impoundment. In May of 1988 the dam was removed. After removal, the area was seeded with smartweed and barnyard grass to stabilize the exposed sediments. Over the next few years, trails and parklands were developed throughout the area. At the upper end of the impoundment, approximately 1000’ of the river channel was reconstructed. That area was found to be artificially wide and shallow due to deposition of larger bedload material when impounded. Fish habitat response was very good and took approximately 3 years to occur naturally. That change was best illustrated by the response of study reach at the lower end of the impoundment. Steady improvement was observed in habitat quality rating as riverbanks stabilized and course substrate was exposed. The fish community at Woolen Mills also responded well. Carp catch per unit effort plummeted, smallmouth bass catch increased significantly and the Index of Biotic Integrity improved as well. Angler response was also good. Angler use in the Woolen Mills reach in 1990 was 192 hours/acre compared to 18 hours/acre in an impounded reach a short distance upstream. Perhaps the highlight of the Woolen Mills project from the community's standpoint was the development of recreational use of the area. Trails, a canoe launch and ballfields were developed. The area has now become one of the community's most popular public parks. CASE STUDY - NORTH AVENUEThe North Avenue Dam on the Milwaukee River was a much larger structure than Woolen Mills. It was the first structure upstream from Lake Michigan and within the City of Milwaukee. It blocked anadromous runs of salmonids and other fishes from Lake Michigan. With its breach, 30 river miles were opened up to accommodate those runs, providing 7,708 hours of fishing directed at salmonids during 1998 upstream of the dam. The fish community response to the North Avenue Dam removal was very significant. The catch of common carp decreased dramatically and the catch per mile of smallmouth bass increased significantly. Catches of rock bass and redhorse suckers increased as well. PAST REMOVALSMellen Dam
Bad River, Ashland Co. Somerset Dam
Apple River, St. Croix Co. Port Arthur Dam
Flambeau River, Rusk Co. Mc Clure Dam
Apple River, St. Croix Co. Colfax Light & Power Dam
Red Cedar River, Dunn Co. Huntington Dam
Apple River, St. Croix Co. Schiek Dam
Handsaw Creek, Marinette Co. Huigen Dam
Handsaw Creek, Marinette Co. Island Woolen Co. Dam
Baraboo River, Sauk Co. Ettrick Dam (aka Beaver Creek Dam)
N. Fork Beaver Creek, Trempealeau Co. Manitowoc Rapids Dam
Manitowoc River, Manitowoc Co. Readstown Dam (aka Fowell Dam)
Kickapoo River, Vernon Co. Nelsonville Dam
Waupaca River, Portage Co. Woolen Mills Dam
Milwaukee River, Washington Co. Whitehall Dam
Trempealeau River, Trempealeau Co. Beardsley Dam
Madden Branch Tributary, Lafayette Co. Willow Falls Dam
Willow River, St. Croix Co. Oslo Dam (aka Cato Falls Dam)
Manitowoc River, Manitowoc Co. Prairie Dells Dam
Prairie River, Lincoln Co. Ontario Dam
Kickapoo River, Vernon Co. Slabtown Dam
Bark River, Jefferson Co. Wilmot Dam
Fox River, Kenosha Co. Northland Dam
Flume Creek, Waupaca Co. Lemonweir Dam
Lemonweir River, Juneau Co. Fulton Dam
Yahara River, Rock Co. Funks Dam
Oconomowoc River, Waukesha Co. Crivitz Dam
Peshtigo River, Marinette Co. Pulcifer Dam
Oconto River, Shawano Co. Marengo Dam
Marengo River, Bayfield Co. Young American Dam
Milwaukee River, Washington Co. Greenwood Dam
Black River, Clark Co. Lowe Creek 1 Dam
Lowe Creek, Jefferson Co. Lowe Creek 2 Dam
Lowe Creek, Jefferson Co. Carpenter Creek Dam
Carpenter Creek, Price Co. Mellen Waterworks Dam
City Creek, Ashland Co. Upper Waterloo Dam
Maunesha River, Jefferson Co. Cartwright Dam
Shell Creek, Washburn Co. Hayman Falls Dam
Embarrass River, Shawano Co. Parfrey Dam
Pine River, Richland Co. Bowen Mill Dam
Pine River, Richland Co. Wonewoc Dam
Baraboo River, Juneau Co. Hebron Dam
Bark River, Jefferson Co. Mounds Dam
Willow River, St. Croix Co. Baraboo Waterworks Dam
Baraboo River, Sauk Co. Upper Tigerton Dam
Embarrass River, Shawano Co. Spring Valley Dam
Eau Galle River, Pierce Co. North Avenue Dam(aka Milwaukee Dam)Milwaukee River, Milwaukee Co. 14 ft hydraulic ht, 420 acre feet impounded Removed 1997 Colfax Dam
Eighteen Mile Creek, Dunn Co. Evans Pond Dam
Rathbone Creek, Monroe Co. Ward Dam
Prairie River, Lincoln Co. Oak Street Dam
Baraboo River, Sauk Co. Rockdale Dam
Koshkonong Creek, Dane Co. Falk Dam
Menominee River, Milwaukee Co. Chair Factory Dam
Milwaukee River, Ozaukee Co. Franklin Dam
Sheboygan River, Sheboygan Co. Orienta Dam
Iron River, Bayfield Co. New Fane Dam
East Branch, Milwaukee River, Fond Du Lac Co. Anna Hempel (Terry Patrick) Dam
Unnamed Tributary to Correction Creek, Taylor Co. Deerskin (Jones, McDermott) Dam
Deerskin River, Vilas Co. Linen Mill Dam
Baraboo River, Sauk Co. La Valle Dam
Baraboo River, Sauk Co. Woods Creek Dam
Woods Creek, Florence Co. Waubeka Dam
Milwaukee River, Ozaukee Co. Last Revised: Wednesday May 17 2006
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