Dam failure sparks questions about its future

The Grafton Village Board on Monday voted unanimously not to immediately repair the Bridge Street dam, which failed last month, but instead postponed a decision about the future of the dam for 60 days while officials research whether it makes long-term sense to fix the dam or remove it.

While they acknowledged that residents voted in  2010 to preserve the dam, officials said times have changed and the matter deserves another look.

Trustee Sarah Scarpace said, “It’s been a long time since the referendum. There are a lot of questions to be had for experts.”

“It is a new day and I would like current information,” Trustee Russ MacRae added.

“I think right now we could go forward and fix the dam, but I don’t think that solves the long-term questions,” Trustee Luke Spykstra said.

Village President Dan Delorit said the village needs a plan for the dam before taking any action.

“I would definitely like to see a plan,” he said.

He asked those who fought to retain the dam to raise their hands, then said, “You guys did a great job saving the dam, but the one thing I didn’t see was how we’re going to maintain the dam moving forward.

“I would like to see some type of plan that talks about what do we do if we don’t fix the gate, how it affects the ecological impact of the flats we have, would there be a marsh in the area?”

Trustee Kevin Curtis, who supported a study of the dam issue, said he is concerned that if it is not repaired the village would incur additional costs in the long term considering the infrastructure in existence that would have to be replaced.

Delorit opened the discussion Monday by saying, “We are not discussing tearing the dam down. That is not on the table.”

Department of Public Works Director Julie Esch added, “This is just a discussion of repairs.”

But the question of whether to repair or eliminate the dam came into play as residents on both sides of the issue pleaded their case.

Tony Sproehlich of 1118 Riverview Ct., who said his property spans 120 feet of the shoreline, said the millpond “has been a big draw.”

“I hear there are some people who want to get rid of it but we worked so hard and spent so much to keep it,” he said, noting he was a member of the Save the Dam Committee. “It’s a gate and we should pursue fixing it.”

Bill Harbeck of 17th Avenue told the board that the public has spoken on the issue.

“We had a community forum 16 years ago about this,” he said, referring to the 2010 referendum on the dam. “Seventy-five percent of the people said we want to keep the dam for all the things it affords the town — the views, the vistas, recreation, kayaking, canoeing and all that.

“We’re talking about $150,000 to $180,000 (to fix the dam). That’s a small drop in the bucket compared to the village budget. It’s well worth the price. If there’s going to be a broader conversation about this, maybe there needs to be another referendum.”

The dam, Harbeck added, protects fish species to the north from exposure to lamprey eels and viral hemorrhagic septicemia, a highly contagious and deadly viral disease that affects many species of fish.

But Steve Holzman, whose property at 1327 North St. borders the north end of the millpond, said the issue requires more study.

“You might think I’m going to tell you  to fix the dam because I want my view back,” Holzman said. “I’m not going to do that because I don’t think we have enough information.”

The Department of Natural Resources needs to weigh in on “what this opportunity represents,” he said, and Milwaukee Riverkeepers should also be consulted.

“Maybe this is an opportunity to step back to get input and understand what is best for the river and what is best for the community,” Holzman said. “I feel it would be too quick to simply say let’s spend $200,000 and fix this dam and everything’s the status quo. Maybe the status quo isn’t what’s best for the town, for the river, for the wildlife that uses the river.”

It may be that the sediment in the millpond could cause major problems if disturbed, he added, but until the village knows that, it should postpone a decision.

Casey Didier, who lives on 13th Avenue, told the board that this is the time to take another look at the dam and make sure the proper decision is made.

The millpond has resembled a mudflat since the hydraulic cylinder failed late last week.

On Friday, May 1, the village moved the floodgate on the east side of the dam higher to accommodate a planned inspection, she said. But the following day a Grafton police officer noticed that the floodgate had shifted to its lowest setting, sending a surge of water downstream and substantially draining the millpond.

The officer notified the Department of Public Works, and a crew unsuccessfully tried to move the gate.

A study by dam consultant J.F. Brennan Co. of La Crosse revealed the cause was a faulty hydraulic cylinder, Department of Public Works Director Julie Esch said.

The cost of repairing the cylinder is estimated to be $154,000 if a refurbished cylinder is used or $180,000 if a new one is used, and the village staff recommended buying a new one to repair the dam.