Environmental group opposes dam on White River

ANDERSON, Ind. - The Hoosier Environmental Council has added its name to the list of environmental groups opposing a proposed seven-mile long reservoir along the White River in central Indiana, saying it would have harmful and long-lasting consequences.

Madison County officials last year proposed the Mounds Lake Reservoir near Anderson, saying it would boost economic development, improve flood control, create prime real estate for waterfront housing and increase property values.

Hoosier Environmental Council senior policy director Tim Maloney is calling for an alternative that doesn't include damming the river. He says a free-flowing river and adjoining natural lands can provide a novel approach to sustainable economic development.

Maloney says the council is against replacing a free-flowing river ecosystem with an artificial reservoir.