Humboldt County Conservation Board makes decision on dams

By APRIL KELLEY
The fate of the Reasoner and Rutland dams was decided at the Wednesday’s Sept. 18 meeting of the Humboldt County Conservation Board.

After just over a half hour discussion between the Humboldt County Conservation Board and the River Development Group, (RDG) the Board made the motion to “Deny any further discussion involving the dam and to have our director move forward with contacting an engineering company for Alternative 2 for both dams with the option of removal on both.”

The motion passed four to one with Will Spellmeyer being the lone dissenter.

The Conservation Board members stated that removing the dam would mean that those who are north and west of dam would be out of the flood plane saving those homeowners from having to buy flood insurance. A saving of $1,500 to $2,000 per year. It was then decided to motion for the Conservation Board continue with Alternative 2 or removal.

Brief Recap of the Stantec report:

Alternative 2 mentioned in the motion refers to alternative 2 mentioned in the Stantec proposal completed on November 12, 2021.

The engineering firm, Stantec, at that time presented three options for the Reasoner Dam. Alternative 1 (now frequently referred to as Option 1) called for full dam rehabilitation and a rock ramp construction.

Alternative 2 (frequently referred to as Option 2) outlined modifying the dam by lowering the left spillway and the coffer cells approximately 7.5 feet along with a rock ramp construction.

Alternative 3 (frequently referred to as Option 3) calls for full removal of the dam.

Alternative 1 is the only option that maintains the pool elevation above the dam, thus retaining Lake Nokomis.

Both Alternative 2 and 3 would reduce the levels of the lake, making it unusable as a boating recreation area.

According to the report, Alternative 1 maintains the pool elevation and restores recreational boating, but does not permanently address sediment management and drainage in the reservoir, does not create in channel fish habitat upstream or reduce flooding upstream. It is also the most expensive at just under $20 million in 2021.

Alternative 2, cutting down the dam, removes recirculating hydraulics in the river, addresses sediment management and drainage in the reservoir, creates an in-channel fish habitat upstream and reduces flooding upstream and would create a recreational feature. However, it does not maintain Lake Nokomis and recreational boating. It was the second most expensive at just under $4 million.

Alternative 3, removal of the dam, achieves what Alternative 2 does minus creating a recreational feature, and it was the lowest cost of the three options, at $3.6 million.

Read the full story in this week's issue of the Humboldt Independent.