Ann Arbor is soon to find out whether Argo Dam will hold.
The Ann Arbor City Council will hold a work session on the controversial subject on Tuesday, where city staff will lay out options for dealing with the dam. Basically, it boils down to whether to fix it up or tear it down.
"We're hoping Council will give us direction on how to proceed," says Jayne Miller, community services area administrator with the city of Ann Arbor.
That means City Council could make a decision, or not. If it doesn't, it would probably be put off until later this fall. The City Council has long planned to put this issue to bed before the end of the year.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is forcing the city's hand on the issue, sending a letter with specific deadlines for addressing the state agency's concerns with Argo Dam.
The dam is at a critical juncture right now. Many environmentalists are pushing for the 89-year-old dam's removal, a move that would create 30 acres of new parkland, 20 acres of new flood plain and some Class 1 rapids (beginners level) along the Huron River. It would also drain the primary rowing pond in the city, which is utilized by local high school, college and recreation crew teams. Those groups are pushing for its preservation.
Argo Dam was originally built by Detroit Edison to generate hydroelectricity, but was decommissioned in 1960s. It also created the 92-acre Argo Pond, now a favorite spot for hundreds of small-boating enthusiasts, such as rowers and canoers who often refer to it as the city's largest blue park.
The dam is due for about $500,000-$600,000 in repairs on top of annual maintenance expenditures worth tens of thousands of dollars. The cost of dam removal is pegged at $1.3 million. Remaking it so it can produce hydro-electric power isn't seen as financially feasible.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recommended removing Argo Dam in the 1990s. The city's Park Advisory Commission voted 5-4 to keep the dam earlier this year while the city's Environmental Commission voted 8-4 for removal shortly after.
The final decision will be made by the City Council and is expected sometime in the near future. The next meeting will be held at 5:45 p.m. in City Hall. For information on the dam, click here.
Source: Jayne Miller, community services area administrator with the city of Ann Arbor
Writer: Jon Zemke
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