Lowhead dam on Harpeth to come down by Fall of 2012!

 
Harpeth River project is chosen for TN in President Obama's new America's Great Outdoors Rivers Initiative.   May 21, 2012 Secretary Salazar of the Department of Interior announced the new Rivers Initiative with a project from each state and the District of Columbia as models of collaborative efforts to conserve and restore key rivers in the United States, expand outdoor recreational opportunities and support jobs in local communities. 


The Harpeth River has been listed on the 2012 TEN WATERS TO WATCH list!  The Harpeth has been recognized in 2012 for the lowhead dam removal project by the National Fish Habitat Partnership which works nationwide to conserve fish habitat. The partnership of federal, state and other entities implement the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. The Harpeth river lowhead dam removal and restoration project helps meet these goals and received $350,000 from federal funds as a result. See press release.


LOWHEAD DAM REMOVAL and RIVER RESTORATION
PROJECT on HARPETH RIVER in FRANKLIN


In August 2010, HRWA secured $350,000 from collaborative funding programs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership, and the National Fish Habitat Partnership for projects that improve fish habitat and remove blockages to fish passage.  The removal of the city's lowhead dam will make the Harpeth RIver one of the few rivers in TN that is entirely free flowing!  The funds are on behalf of the city of Franklin to remove the structure as part of modernizing its water withdrawal from the Harpeth for drinking water as required in its permit from the state.  (Permit below).   TDEC (TN Department of Environment and Conservation) as a partner is conducting the actual removal of the structure.  Other project partners include the TN Wildlife Resources Agency, the US Geologial Survey, and likely local businesses as the project moves to completion in 2012.

The removal of the city’s lowhead dam is part of a national effort over the past 50 years that has seen the removal of over 600 dams around the country according to a compilation by American Rivers.  In TN, 25 dams (8 to 160 feet tall) have been removed around the state in the last 40 years.  The removal of this 6 foot structure on the Harpeth will be only the second on a main river in TN whereas all others have been a small streams.   The other main river dam removal was on the Duck River.


This project’s design is based on Natural Channel Design methods which will replace the 6.2 foot high lowhead dam with a low-profile, in-stream, double cross vane boulder structure to restore the natural “riffle/run and pool” fish habitat in this area, and re-establish natural river flows intended to increase dissolved oxygen levels in the river.  The existing lowhead dam creates a 1.6 mile long pool in the river that has inundated natural riffle/run habitat.  During the summer, oxygen levels have been measured significantly below state standards in the water behind the lowhead dam.  With only a trickle of water over the structure during the summer, fish can not move beyond the lowhead dam.  Other aspects of the plan will stabilize the eroding banks and re-vegetate the streamside zone with native vegetation. The project was conceived by Beaver Creek Hydrology, a civil engineering firm based in Kentucky that specializes in river restoration using Natural Channel Design principles. BCH has numerous similar stream restoration projects in place around the greater Nashville area.  In addition to improving fish habitat, removing fish barriers, and improving water quality, the project is intended to significantly enhance recreational opportunities on the Harpeth in the Franklin area for fishing and paddling. The proposed project will improve public access in this section of the Harpeth and is part of a series of public accesses to be constructed as part of the Harpeth River Blueway.

The project will not affect the flood levels in the river, nor the city's current water withdrawal system.  The removal of the lowhead dam structure will not involve any blasting.  The area will continue to be the location of the TWRA trout stocking in the river during the winter season.  This project will also be the next restoration project undertaken under the framework of the Harpeth River Watershed Initiative between TDEC, Franklin, and Williamson County.  See cover story in Tennessean, August 9, 2011. 

Final Plans Completed December 2011

The graphic above is from final plans which are based on preliminary plans approved by the Steering Committee in May 2011.  All pertinent documents and permits are listed above and can be downloaded. 

Powerpoint presentation to city of Franklin Board of Mayor and Alderman in May 2010.  This has a nice summary of the project with photographs and all the key information on the project including project partners.  The only change is that the concept plan has since been updated to the final plan.    

The TN Wildlife Resources Agency is conducting the fish monitoring for the project. Here is the pre-project fish assessment report based on the field work conducted in June 2010.

TN Wildlife Resources Agency, Fish Community Assessment in Harpeth River Prior to the Removal of the dam in Franklin, TN - April 2011.