By Megan Alley
Sun staff
The low head dam located on the East Fork of the Little Miami River in the village of Williamsburg is scheduled to be removed next year, according to county officials.
The dam, which was constructed in the mid 1930s to provide a source of drinking water to the village, is obsolete, as the village now gets its drinking water from the county, according to John McManus, administrator for the Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District.
The project, which is currently in the planning phase, is entirely funded by a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program. The grant will also cover the costs associated with the demolition and removal of the abandoned pump house.
The total estimated cost for the project is $675,000.
“I think it’s a great project,” McManus said. “The dam no longer serves a purpose, and really, there’s mostly negatives associated with the dam right now.”
The dam poses a “big” safety concern, he explained.
“People walk out on it, on the downstream side with the hydraulics on it; they can get trapped in the water,” he said.
Mayor Mary Ann Lefker recalled that two young boys drowned near the dam in the 1970s.
“Safety is important,” said Susan Ellerhorst, village administrator. “It’s one key aspect of the project.”
The dam, which measures 140 feet in length and 4 feet about normal river level, is also an obstacle for kayakers and paddlers looking to gain passage on the river.
“It’s a barrier to recreation,” McManus added.
The dam has a negative impact on the natural environment as well.
“It’s a barrier to fish, too; it’s an impairment to the stream,” McManus said.
He added, “By taking it out, we can improve the habitat of the East Fork through that stretch of the river; it would be an overall improvement for the entire fish community.”
Currently, project officials are working in conjunction with the property owners, which are the village and Williamsburg Township, to secure the necessary permits.
The removal is set for fall 2017, when the water flow of the river is at its lowest point.
“That’s usually the best time to work in the river,” McManus explained.
The project has received “good support” from both the village and the township.
“You’ve got our verbal OK,” said Trustee Guy Bainum during McManus’ presentation to the trustees during their meeting on June 13.