Forest preserve district OKs Carpentersville dam removal study
The Kane County Forest Preserve District Tuesday approved an intergovernmental agreement with the state to conduct an engineering study for removal of the Carpentersville dam on the Fox River.
The agreement also includes funding for removal of the Fabyan Forest Preserve Causeway in Batavia.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has earmarked $3.5 million for the engineering, removal/modification and river/shoreline restoration on both projects. The state will front the $500,000 for the engineering work on each project, per the agreement.
"We've set aside the $2.4 million for (Carpentersville dam) removal," IDNR spokesman Chris Young said. "It won't be obligated until the design is complete and construction contract is bid."
The state favors removal of lowhead dams, including ones in Geneva and Batavia, because of environmental and safety concerns, according to a 2007 report.
The forest preserve district owns the Carpentersville dam and would oversee any project to remove it.
"By removal, it will cleanse the river," said Joe Haimann, Carpentersville's representative on the county forest preserve commission. "There's a lot of sediment that's behind it. The fish will move further down river, and it will be great for everything. It's going to be a nice project, and I'm glad we got that funding."
The engineering study will assess the impact of dam removal/modification and river/shoreline restoration.
Kane County Forest Preserve Executive Director Monica Meyers said the agency will work with IDNR to put out a request for proposals for the engineering work.
"It's going to probably be a three-year project," Meyers said. "It's going to be another year before we even get to anything on the ground."
Meanwhile, Carpentersville will conduct a public hearing Jan. 21 seeking input on how to enhance recreational uses along the Fox River corridor and surrounding areas, trails and forest preserves. It's part of a regional study being done by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and expected to be completed this summer.
Carpentersville, Algonquin, the Kane County Forest Preserve District and McHenry County Conservation District are partnering on the river study. The study area goes from Carpentersville south to Elgin's water treatment plant. It also will help determine whether there is support for dam removal.
Some Carpentersville officials don't want the dam removed entirely and would support instead breaching it and connecting both sides of the river with a bike trail over the dam. The village's bike trail is on one side of the river and the county forest preserves on the other.
However, members of the Friends of the Fox River support the dam's removal to improve water quality and restore the habitat.
The Fox River Corridor Public Visioning workshop is 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Carpentersville public works building, 1075 Tamarac Drive.
• Daily Herald staff writer James Fuller contributed to this story.