Dawt Mill Dam

[Gavin]

I don't think that all of the interested parties have been identified yet...MO DNR...most likely, MDC...no authority, but probably interested...Corps of Engineers...very possible...US Fish and Wildlife a possible due to the Hellbenders.

[jdmidwest]

I think there is a governing body that oversees dams of any type, especially ones that threaten the lives of others.

A few years back there was some flack from someone regarding improperly built personal lakes that flood others property. I think Ameren UE and Taum Sauk comes to mind. Personal dams still are responsible if they break and flood other property.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Isn't the dam in the flood plain of Norfolk? That would give the Corp some say I would think, if that's true.

[Kyle Kosovich]

• My post on FB.

  Kyle Kosovich

  Are there any other the purposes of the dam other than historical aesthetics, keeping people from traveling down river in boats, and fish from migrating up river? When fixing it at least design a fish ladder and boat portage shoot when repairing it. Thus allowing increased economics through boating options and fishing opportunities through increases in biological diversity.

  While it is likely that a gradual widening of the hole is possible, the overall total failure is unlikely due to the current hole releasing much of the pressure imposed by an intact dam. There is also published research that highlights the benefits of opening dams to improve stream ecology. There are many successful old mill dam removal projects around the country that are largely aimed to improve the quality of the fisheries. Contrary to urban legend, there is research that shows that striped bass feed predominantly on crayfish and other minnow species and do not specifically target trout. Therefore, at the very least, allowing safe passage of fish and boats is benefiting the greater good of the river and those who enjoy it. Rebuilding totally is loosing an opportunity to implement possibly the largest improvement to the river in recent history.

[Justin Spencer]

I think there is a governing body that oversees dams of any type, especially ones that threaten the lives of others.

A few years back there was some flack from someone regarding improperly built personal lakes that flood others property. I think Ameren UE and Taum Sauk comes to mind. Personal dams still are responsible if they break and flood other property.

This dam won't flood anyone if it breaks, would have a little rush of water followed by whatever it was 10 minutes earlier.

I don't think that all of the interested parties have been identified yet...MO DNR...most likely, MDC...no authority, but probably interested...Corps of Engineers...very possible...US Fish and Wildlife a possible due to the Hellbenders.

I believe there are a bunch of hellbenders just below the dam, so it is very possible that they consider the dam to be a benefit to the habitat of the hellbender in this situation. Both the feds and the state are very concerned about anything that could negatively effect this little bugger. Getting totally rid of the dam would definitely change this habitat, but a boat passage wouldn't.

[The Troutdoorsman]

I would be concerned about not having a lower impoundment to the river. Previously when lake levels have risen above the dam and stripers and hybrids have come into the river it's been a limited engagement. The levels go down, the fish get caught out and it's a few years before another flood comes to repeat the conditions. It's fun while it lasts, but it doesn't last long.

I'm sure that it's true that their main forage is crayfish. We heard many say that when gutted the bass spilled out crayfish, but that is also an important trout forage. The Easter flood, of two years ago brought stripes and hybrid into the river. We were seeing schools of 20, ten plus pound fish. That can put a real dent in the available food supply. If this can happen at any and all times I could foresee a problem. Nature is a delecate balance and right now "it ain't broke so don't fix it." Or maybe I should say that it is broke (meaning the dam) and we should fix it.

[Justin Spencer]

I would be concerned about not having a lower impoundment to the river. Previously when lake levels have risen above the dam and stripers and hybrids have come into the river it's been a limited engagement. The levels go down, the fish get caught out and it's a few years before another flood comes to repeat the conditions. It's fun while it lasts, but it doesn't last long.

I'm sure that it's true that their main forage is crayfish. We heard many say that when gutted the bass spilled out crayfish, but that is also an important trout forage. The Easter flood, of two years ago brought stripes and hybrid into the river. We were seeing schools of 20, ten plus pound fish. That can put a real dent in the available food supply. If this can happen at any and all times I could foresee a problem. Nature is a delecate balance and right now "it ain't broke so don't fix it." Or maybe I should say that it is broke (meaning the dam) and we should fix it.

I wonder about this also, but I think a boat passage, which I have envisioned as a small dip in the dam, wouldn't allow free passage of fish from the lake under normal water conditions.

[Brian Wise]

I have been in contact with DNR and Corp. The repair will be up to Dawt Mill under the authority of the Corps of Engineers. Corp is VERY up-to-date on the Hellbender situation and, like it has been stated above the water directly below the dam (basically at the foot of the downstream side of the dam) not only holds one of the largest populations of Hellbenders but is also where they see the best reproduction of them. What it sounds like is that the Corp does not want water to stop flowing over the dam (like it is now) because of the Hellbenders. I'm sure studies would have to be done to figure out how much of a dip would still allow water to flow over the dam and still allow "safe" passage of boats.

I am not personally worried about Stripers in the river...period. Like Rusty said, it isn't an issue of them "Decimating" the trout population like we have heard so many people say in the last few years. We have found out that in no way does having resident stripers (stripers that have spent more than 6 months in the river without leaving) even touch the number of Rainbow Trout in the river. Actually, the vast majority of the stripers that stayed in the river that long in 2011 were in the heart of the Blue Ribbon Water in the pool directly above McKee Bridge. We counted over 50 stripers in that hole....and they stayed there all the time--our trout numbers went up the next year after the survey. So it isn't a "decimation" problem that stripers will bring to the river. Sure, they could probably decimate the crayfish population in a certain hole when they stay that long, agreed.

It's really kind of funny.....when the stripers were in the river, we saw the best streamer fishing for LARGE brown trout that I can ever remember. We hit a point were 22" browns were "cookie-cutters" and I had a guy land what, at that point, was probably the top 2 biggest fish in the river at 28". Just kind of a funny little tid-bit.

[Justin Spencer]

More people (including a 76 year old man), keep getting sucked down the hole, looks like it is more of a liability now than ever. I fully expect it to be fixed how it was before the breach. Bummer!

[Brian Wise]

I fully expect it to be fixed how it was before the breach. Bummer!

Agreed.