Conservation Board favors option to lower the dam


The Humboldt County Conservation Board is recommending a lowering of the Reasoner Dam for safety, recreational and financial concerns after studying three alternatives and reviewing public comment on a study completed this past fall. The recommendation will be presented to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors at its Monday meeting. Humboldt Independent photo.

By KENT THOMPSON
The Humboldt County Conservation Board is recommending alternative 2 for the Reasoner Dam on the West Fork of the Des Moines River in Humboldt.
Alternative 2 would lower the crest of the concrete spillway by seven feet and create a rock ramp across the width of where the coffer cells are and downstream.
For more than a year, the Conservation Board and County Board of Supervisors have been studying possible improvements. The Board hired Stantec, a Des Moines area architectural firm, to study the existing dam and provide alternatives and cost estimates for improvements.
An estimated 188 people attended an open house presentation of three alternatives in late October at the fairgrounds. Alternative 1 was to rehabilitate the existing dam and restore it original structure and flow status. Alternative 3 was to remove the dam altogether.
Following the meeting, a survey was conducted asking people to provide feedback on the options and offer opinions. The survey elicited nearly 300 responses and either rehabbing the existing dam or lowering the dam and creating the rock ramp received nearly an equal number of favorable responses. A smaller number favored taking the dam out completely and a much smaller number favored no action.
It was reported that Alternative 1 would cost an estimated $18-$19 million for construction alone, compared to an estimated $3.4 million for the second option, which the Board went with.
“We aren’t a community the size of Des Moines, and I don’t see a big contributor giving us millions to pursue Alternative 1,” Board member Tate Satern said at the Board’s Wednesday meeting.
“If we were to look at bonding for Alternative 1, the public is going to say, what else could we do in the community for $20 million,” Board member Mary Miner added.
Board members Satern, Miner, Bob Rasmussen and TC Loving were unanimous in their support for the lowering of the dam and creating the rock ramp structure. Newly appointed Board member Will Spellmeyer attended the meeting but did not vote on the dam recommendation.
Humboldt County Conservation Director Todd Lee will go before the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Monday to present the recommendation.
Miner noted, “this is the point where we make a recommendation to the Supervisors and they have the money to pay for it or not pay for it.”
Read more about this story in the Jan. 27 edition of the Humboldt Independent.

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