Indiana American Water to demolish Rockford Dam in Seymour
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Indiana American Water says it has secured the permits necessary to begin demolishing a dam on the East Fork of the White River, a project that is expected to improve public safety in the area and enhance wildlife habitat.
The Rockford Dam, which spans about 450 feet across the White River in Seymour, helped provide a source of water to the utility’s water treatment facility on North County Road 760 East near East Reddington Street. But the Greenwood-based utility now uses groundwater instead.
“We pride ourselves in being good stewards of the environment,” Director of Operations Wade Amos said in a news release. “After we switched our Seymour water treatment system to source water from wells instead of the river in the late 1990s, we sought input from state and nonprofit conservation organizations that provided us insights on the value of removing dams to improve the river’s aquatic ecosystem.”
Removal of the low-head dam is expected to improve safety for river users by eliminating recirculating currents and to enhance habitat and wildlife biodiversity by restoring the natural river ecosystem.
Clarkesville contractor Dan Cristiani Excavating LLC has been hired to remove the dam. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The utility is asking boaters to avoid the area and onlookers to not stop on nearby roads to watch the demolition work to help ensure a safe deconstruction, the utility said.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources provided a $90,000 grant toward the effort, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided a $150,000 grant. Additional support was provided by Cummins Inc.
Indiana American Water, a subsidiary of New-Jersey based American Water, serves about 22,000 people in the Seymour area.