Man donates 1 acre for portage around low-head dam

KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) - A central Indiana man has donated a small plot of land for a portage trail around a dam that's one of the most dangerous sections of a scenic river.

David Rayl donated one acre last week to the nonprofit Northern Indiana Citizens Helping Ecosystems Survive Land Trust.

Another nonprofit called the Wildcat Creek Guardians will build a gravel trail this winter on the land along Wildcat Creek, which winds 84 miles through north-central Indiana.

The Kokomo Tribune reports that path will allow paddlers to pull their canoes or kayaks from the river to avoid a low-head dam in Kokomo.

Such dams can be deadly because people can get trapped in swirling waters at their base.

The Wildcat Creek Guardians received a $5,000 grant from the Northern Indiana Public Service Company.

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Information from: Kokomo Tribune, http://www.ktonline.com