Remove dams, restore Fox
A recent article in the Daily Herald about the upcoming removal of the Carpentersville dam highlighted the improvements to the river’s fish and wildlife after removal of 14 miles of upstream dams. I live near the river in Geneva and have noticed large growths of algae and water lilies in the past couple of years. These are more typical of a stagnant pond than a free-flowing river. As expected, many “Save Our Dams” signs are popping up in the area. The dams are an unnatural feature that were originally built to power mills that are no longer necessary.
When we moved here 33 years ago, there were many more ducks and geese on the river. I understand the few homes on the river that have docks and use the river for boating will be negatively affected, but it’s time to remove the dams and restore the Fox River to its natural state, which will improve the water quality and attract more wildlife.
Larry Mayerhofer
Geneva