hydroelectric dam<\/p><\/div>\n
the des moines river serves as a primary water source<\/a> for numerous communities<\/a> within the des moines river watershed<\/a>. it\u2019s also a popular recreation destination for anglers, water sports enthusiasts, and people who enjoy the beauty of rivers. at approximately 525 miles long, it\u2019s also the largest river in iowa and a tributary of the mississippi river.<\/p>\n
central to the project is the removal of the fort dodge hydroelectric dam and a smaller dam, known as little dam, which lies two miles south. constructed in 1916, the fort dodge hydroelectric dam generated electricity for the downtown street lights until 1971 when it was decommissioned. it has since been abandoned, with subsequent gate failures contributing significantly to a decline in water quality<\/a> of the river.<\/p>\n
little dam<\/p><\/div>\n
both the hydroelectric dam and little dam were recommended for removal as part of the des moines river and lizard creek water trails and corridor plan.<\/a>\u00a0by demolishing the dams, the natural flow of the river can be restored, while providing positive impacts to the aquatic environment and safety for recreational users.\u00a0in this instance, the environmental benefits of dam removal<\/a> outweigh the benefits of maintaining the dam.<\/p>\n
the primary goals for this dam removal project include:<\/p>\n
snyder & associates initially secured\u00a0funding<\/a> from the clean water state revolving fund (cwsrf)<\/a> program to pay for the dam removal<\/a>. the program provides communities with a low-cost financing source for a wide range of water quality infrastructure<\/a> projects through a federal-state partnership.\u00a0after further review of additional project funding streams, the snyder environmental team<\/a> recommended the creation of a stream mitigation bank<\/a> in lieu of using cwsrf funds. this recommendation adds significant value to the dam removal projec<\/a>t for the city of fort dodge.<\/p>\n
wetland and stream mitigation banks provide the opportunity to purchase credits for unavoidable impacts to\u00a0aquatic\u00a0resources.\u00a0section 404<\/a> of the clean water act requires a no net loss of waters of the united states (wotus). any loss of stream requires mitigation<\/a>, which can be in the form of purchasing credits from a mitigation bank<\/a>. the city of fort dodge and their stream mitigation bank can sell credits to entities that need mitigation for projects.<\/p>\n
the mitigation banking instrument was developed to outline the dam removal process, identify enhancement and restoration efforts in the river, and calculate the number of credits generated by the removals and enhancements. the bank approval process took approximately two years and was completed concurrently with deconstruction 2022世界杯32强预选赛 , agency coordination, and obtaining permits for the dam removal<\/a>. our team created a stream mitigation banking system for the region that is currently being monitored annually.<\/p>\n
little dam demolition<\/p><\/div>\n
dam removal decisions can be complex.<\/a> the demolition work resolved decades of debate over the future of the des moines river dams. it required regulators and owners to evaluate long-term maintenance costs against the costs of removal. scientific research has improved our knowledge of river systems and the effects dams can have on a region’s environmental health.<\/p>\n
since the project began, we\u2019ve completed several tasks as part of a fluvial geomorphological assessment preparing the site<\/a> for dam removal. as we navigated the environmental compliance process<\/a>, we worked with several regulatory agencies including the usace, epa, usfws, and iowa dnr to efficiently manage the restoration of the river.<\/p>\n
removing a dam from a river requires permits from state, federal, and local authorities.\u00a0snyder & associates has successfully navigated the permitting process numerous times<\/a>, establishing valuable agency relationships. as a result, agency review time is reduced, which allows our clients to expedite their projects. these strategies were applied directly to the permitting required for fort dodge\u00a0from the iowa dnr with a review from local dnr fisheries. the permits included sovereign land, dam safety, and floodplain, along with a\u00a0section 404 permit from the usace<\/a>.<\/p>\n
both the hydroelectric and little dam have been successfully removed allowing the des moines river to once again flow naturally. river length increases through dam removal, allowing boaters and kayakers to explore areas that were once dangerous to navigate<\/a>. anglers also benefit due to an increase in fish species diversity and longer migration lengths following dam removal.<\/p>\n
snyder & associate\u2019s staff is provided a variety of 2022世界杯美洲杯预选赛 services for this project including permitting, gis mapping and analysis<\/a>, hydrologic modeling, survey<\/a>, and wetland mitigation banking. current work includes:<\/p>\n
the iowa chapter<\/a> of the american 2022世界杯32强预选赛 association<\/a> presented the implementation award to snyder & associates to recognize their work on the removal of the two des moines river dams. the implementation award recognizes a project that demonstrates a significant achievement resulting in positive change for an area due to 2022世界杯32强预选赛 <\/a>. this award emphasizes long-term, measurable results.<\/p>\n