Courtesy Photo by Chris Flewelling The Trout River Dam in Rogers City holds back water from moving downstream on Wednesday. The Presque Isle Conservation District voted in July to have the dam removed, to the disapproval of many people who fish.

ALPENA — The future of the Trout River Dam is still up in the air after a special Rogers City City Council workshop on Wednesday.

In July, the Presque Isle Conservation District voted to remove the failing dam, which has had temporary repairs made to keep it.

Now, the city council is under pressure to convince the Conservation District to either repair or replace the old dam and not remove it altogether.

The Conservation District owns the Herman Vogler Conservation Area which includes the dam, which was erected in the 1940s.

Rogers City has no say in decisions made by the District. Rogers City does provide maintenance for the park, however.

The dam is located in the Herman Vogler Conservation Area which is a popular park where local residents and visitors go to fish, take photos, and just enjoy the outdoors.

At Wednesday’s meeting, a majority of the public comment was in favor of replacing the dam with a new one, which would be more costly, but may not change the aesthetic of the area surrounding the river that is also home to many different types of wildlife.

A petition to keep a dam at the same location of the Trout River was signed by more than 700 people.

In a feasibility study released by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in January, four recommendations were explained as the best steps forward, in terms of the dam’s future.

DO NOTHING

If nothing is done, the existing dam structure would remain in place and continue to serve as a barrier to sea lamprey passage so long as the structure is maintained. It is assumed that significant maintenance would be required both in the short term and over the next few decades to repair failing segments of the structure, the study says. The commission also says in the study that if adequate maintenance of the existing structure is not provided, the structure will likely deteriorate further and fail somewhere down the road.

As the dam deteriorates, there is also concern it will become a public safety issue around the structure.

COMPLETE DAM REMOVAL

Completely removing the dam would have the existing concrete, stone, and steel structures cleared to return the Trout River to a free-flowing condition. If the dam is removed, it would open up the river for fish to move further upstream but also allow sea lamprey to migrate further up the river. To help prevent the spread of the lamprey, more Lampricide treatments would need to be done along the river. If the dam was to be removed, it would allow for the release of settlement further downstream. The study says modification of the riverbanks would be needed as the larger influx of water would reshape the river’s current path to a small degree.

“Restoration of areas disturbed by the dam removal would be accomplished with native plantings including trees and shrubs on the disturbed river banks,” the study says. “Areas exposed by the change in water levels upstream of the dam would be allowed to establish vegetation naturally following dam removal except in steeper areas upstream of the dam that would be planted following dam removal.”

If the dam is removed, there is no way to regulate the flow of the river, but it is not expected to increase the amount of flooding in the area.

The study added that if invasive species are observed, targeted efforts to control them and plant native species may be needed for years after the dam’s removal.

Some people are concerned the removal of the dam will have an impact on a pond above the dam that is a favorite fishing spot for people. If the dam is removed, the pond will be lost.

INSTALL A FIXED-CREST BARRIER DAM

Installing a fixed-crest barrier dam would replace the existing dam with a new fixed-crest spillway built of reinforced concrete and steel sheet pile. The spillway would have a slightly larger footprint than the existing primary spillway and act as a solid blockade for the lamprey, as well as improve fishing. It would offer similar access and recreation as it does today and a pedestrian bridge could be added down the road. It would also ensure the pond remains viable.

The new barrier dam would also require little maintenance.

The downfalls are that the pond would continue to fill with sediment and fish, like trout, would not be able to bypass the dam and move further upstream.

INSTALL A SEASONABLE ADJUSTABLE BARRIER DAM

A seasonable adjustable barrier dam would allow local officials to regulate the height of the dam and the amount of water it can release. It would still limit the amount of lamprey that moves upstream but prevent fish from doing the same. There are also more fixed costs associated with this type of dam and the pond on the top-side of the dam would drain when the dam is opened. More permitting is also needed and the cost of this type of dam is more costly to have constructed.

Another option that wasn’t in the study, but debated during the meeting was having Rogers City purchase the Herman Vogler Conservation Area from the Conservation District and take control of the park, dam, and all of the amenities.

Rogers City Mayor Scott McLennan said that may be an option down the road, but not something that is in the cards now. He said for now, it is best to continue to work with the district closely and be a partner in future plans.

“It would make sense for the city to own it since we already maintain it,” McLennan said. “It is something we may explore in the future. Maybe one day we can buy it and lease it back to the District.”

McLennan said outside of the cost of acquiring the 270-acre district, there would be little cost to taxpayers because the city already maintains it. He said Rogers City is also good at acquiring grant funding that could be used toward the dam and other improvements.

When the meeting wrapped up, McLennan said he didn’t get any indication that the Conservation District board members intended to change their mind or reconsider the other options presented in the study.

He stressed that the city is handcuffed and does not have a say in the District’s decision-making process.

“They did not give any indication that they would rescind their decision,” he said.

A dam safety report released late in 2022 rated the structure as being in unsatisfactory condition which represents an immediate threat to the dam’s stability. The report recommended immediate emergency repair of the failed stone masonry wall, along with the removal of brush and trees near the dam, which was done, but the fix is only temporary and the conditions are only expected to get worse.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.