Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-28-2021, 08:47 PM   #1
mfdanko99
Senior Member
 
mfdanko99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Champion, OH
Posts: 1,257
Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts
TOTW/F/M Award(s): 0
Default Mahoning River Input

https://www.tribtoday.com/news/local...n-dam-removal/

MetroParks seeks input on dam removal

WARREN — The Trumbull County MetroParks Board will seek public input from citizens starting Monday on the potential removal of the Leavittsburg dam at the intersection of West Market Street and North Leavitt Road.
The park board’s meeting Wednesday focused on a Mahoning River corridor plan and an analysis done by MS Consultants on the dam and the impact on the Mahoning River and surrounding area with the dam in place and with the dam removed.

Zachary Svette, executive director of the metroparks, said he will have information available on the dam’s removal or keeping the dam that can be filled out starting Monday on the metroparks website and Facebook page. Comments will be received until Feb. 19 and will be reviewed by the board for its next meeting Feb. 25.

“We want to provide the public the opportunity to make comments before the board makes a decision on what is best for the park district,” he said.

The dam is owned by Trumbull County MetroParks. Svette also will contact Warren Township trustees and a local Leavittsburg group who have expressed concerns over the dam’s removal.

Two years ago, the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments recommended that nine dams along the Mahoning River between Warren and Lowellville be removed. Eastgate has contracted with MS Consultants to study the Leavittsburg, Girard and Republic dams to see how their removal will impact the river.

Board member Kurt Sauer said the analysis looked at the impact on the river, water level and river bank with the dam and without it.

He said if there is a seven-day drought, the water level will be higher with the dam in place.

“This shows how far the water from the river recedes from the shore and the water elevation when there is a dam in place and when there is no dam. It varies some if we hit a summetime drought near Canoe City,” board member Kurt Sauer said.

He said the study covered water flow on the river from Canoe City in Leavittsburg to Thomas Swift Park in Braceville.

Svette said water levels in the Mahoning River are highest in March after winter snow melt and lowest in October. He said the analysis showed there is less flooding without a dam.

Board Chairwoman Nicolette Darkangelo said some residents are concerned about the ecological effect either way.

“Our main focuses are safety and conservation,” she said.

Svette said some people will say the natural habitat will be disturbed if the dam is removed.

“Habitats will change when the water begins flowing there with different fish and other wildlife,” he said.

Svette said the MetroParks board is spending $900 per year on insurance for the dam, noting the board has spent over $18,000 over the past 20 years.

“There would be a cost savings to us if we removed the dam. The dam is the biggest liability for the metroparks,” he said.

Svette said when there is flooding, Canoe City and Thomas Swift Park parking lots have to be closed.

“We spend up to $500 per year to clean up the parking lots after the flooding,” Svette said.

Sauer said a short-term disadvantage of removing the dam is the canoe / kayak launch areas at the two parks will be further away from the access to the water because the shore line will receed.

“We will need to extend the ramp to the new bank area because the shoreline would change,” he said.

Sauer said an advantage for dam removal is lowering the potential for flooding, which picks up debris, trash and dead trees from the banks. He said dam removal will help lower the amount of debris in the river.

Sauer said there is also a concern about septic tank outlets that are under water and will be exposed if the dam is removed and water recedes. He said this would be a Trumbull County Combined Health District issue.

Warren resident David Ambrose asked if the study analyzed the effect the dam’s removal would have on the water level and constant flooding on Eagle Creek Road.

“You could build more community support for the project if this would help the residents there. Lowering the water level will have an impact on the tributaries and benefit residents all the way to Braceville,” Ambrose said.

Svette said the study was more on the Mahoning River near the dam and Canoe City area and the state Routes 5/82 bridge.

He said if the dam were to be removed, the earliest it would happen would be 2026 or 2027.

In August, the Lowellville dam in Mahoning County was the first of the nine dams to be removed with a dam in Struthers to be done this summer. Youngstown has three dams with money approved for dam removal in 2022.

Funding also has been approved to remove the Summit Street dam in Warren.
Warren Tribune Chronicle
__________________
Mahoning River-Home of the Trumbull Canoe Trails 1975-2024 49 years
mfdanko99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-28-2021, 08:49 PM   #2
mfdanko99
Senior Member
 
mfdanko99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Champion, OH
Posts: 1,257
Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts
TOTW/F/M Award(s): 0
Default

This is a great way to show support of the leavittsburg dam removal which is just past canoe city. Our unofficial home base

Mike
__________________
Mahoning River-Home of the Trumbull Canoe Trails 1975-2024 49 years
mfdanko99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-30-2021, 12:00 PM   #3
KenM
Senior Member
 
KenM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Louisville Oh
Posts: 387
Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts
TOTW/F/M Award(s): 0
Default

Does the Trumbull Park system have a place for public comments? Please post if/when they do.
-----------

The only disadvantage to removal would be that we would lose a place to paddle "up and back" when the rivers really low. But I'll take the risk.

I don't have years to wait for this to happen. I vote we buy Mike a gas-powered jackhammer and put him to work now!
KenM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2021, 07:41 PM   #4
mfdanko99
Senior Member
 
mfdanko99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Champion, OH
Posts: 1,257
Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts
TOTW/F/M Award(s): 0
Default

https://www.trumbullmetroparks.org/#

Scroll down and they have some good charts from the study the did in January
with the information to email or mail your input.
__________________
Mahoning River-Home of the Trumbull Canoe Trails 1975-2024 49 years

Last edited by mfdanko99; 02-01-2021 at 07:47 PM.
mfdanko99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump