Before & After

In mid-September this dam was removed from the Conewango River which runs through town and joins the Allegheny River about 200 yards downstream. It had been there for at least 90 years-maybe Civil War era-but supposedly (according to the Feds) was deteriorating to the point of endangering... fishermen? or whomever...so for a bid of some $100,000 it was demolished and hauled away in dump trucks. The process involved an air hammer and the dropping of a 1 1/2 ton wrecking ball, which gradually broke it into pieces which could be lifted into the trucks. Watching the work from the bridge it seemed like slow going, and the contractor confirmed that the concrete was extremely tough having cured in the water for a hundred years. No doubt it posed No threat to anyone in hindsight, but so goes government explanations. In truth it was just part of a program that endeavors to remove many low head dams and return American waterways to a more natural flow. Before work began there was a minor amount of local protest-nostalgia-to keep it, but not much, and afterward the department of fish and game relocated about 7,000 mussels-including one endangered species- upstream to slower moving water. So now the Allegheny river fish will have easier migration upstream, and the Conewango, which is already an excellent bass river, will likely be improved. As for the physical changes to the current, they too were minor and the overall depth a mile upstream remained the same.
POSTSCRIPT:4/9/10 -At least one homeowner upstream has noticed his land being eroded and a retaining wall collapsing into the river as a result of the dam removal. Subsequently his house foundation is experiencing stress and may eventually be structurally damaged. So far he has received no help from the state in correcting the problem, for reasons of there being no 'official' policy to address such things and the usual political feet dragging. It does sound, however, and though financial help will be approved-hopefully before the situation deteriorates.