The Romeo Observer - Romeo, Michigan: Northern Macomb County's weekly newspaper since 1866

Breaking News

CURTIS OSTRANDER	DUAINE HARDING
ELEANOR TODD	ELMER "BUD" HAHN
GERVASE KILEY	MARIAN SUTTON
ORLO KIRKUM	SLAVA KOKOTOVICH
Browse Full Text...

» Inside

Public Notices
Links
About Us
News Stands
Subscriptions
Editorial Forms
Archives

» Deadlines

Friday, 2 pm
Inserts

Friday, 5 pm
Retail Display
Editorial

Monday, Noon
Classified Display
Service Directory Display

Monday, 2 pm
Service Directory Liners

Monday, 3 pm
Classified Liners

All Holiday Deadlines are One Full Workday Earlier

Paint Creek Dam said to
be barrier to fish passage

by STACY SOBOTKA
Observer Special Writer

      A proposed project to remove the Paint Creek Dam received support from the Oakland Township Board of Trustees at their meeting Tuesday, Jan. 12.
       The project is a collaboration between the Clinton River Watershed Council and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Lake Erie Management Unit. Various federal and state grants would pay for the cost of the dam removal if the project went through. Full engineering costs were not available, but were projected at $600,000.
       A permit from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will then be needed, along with permission from nearby landowners, and a floodplain analysis will be conducted.
       The dam is considered a barrier for fish passage, preventing all fish, mussels and sediment deposits from heading upstream.
       "We feel that if we can remove that barrier and get fish to freely move back and forth that we can further enhance this great fishery at Paint Creek," said Jim Francis, senior fisheries biologist for the DNR Fisheries Lake Erie Management Unit.
       Age and loss of original function are also reasons for dam removal.
       "A lot of these were built around the early part of the 19th century," said Francis. "We're seeing where (the dams) are no longer serving their intended function. A lot of these were built to power mills. Those mills no longer exist, but these structures are still in place."
       Only preliminary work has been done so far.
       "What we're looking for tonight is a vote of support to pursue the funding. We don't have a final project designed at this point," said Francis.
       Several residents expressed concerns over the dam being removed. Tom Asmus suggested replacing the dam with a cross vein.
       "If there isn't such a structure as a cross vein added, there will be no flow through the mill race," he said. "The mill race will dry out and the local geology will change significantly.
       Jan Olson feared her property might be affected.
       "The mill race has saved us so many times from our backyard not being washed out. I'm worried if we lose the mill race that some of us will be in jeopardy," she said.
       The board approved the request for support, but asked that it include preservation of the flow feature of the millrace and that it would be maintained in its current state.
       In other business, the Board of Trustees:
       • Approved a recommendation for incremental changes to the Fire Department and Building Department fee schedules.
       • Approved the federal low-moderate income level hardship standards for use by the Board of Review.
       • Adopted a policy for residents to appeal by letter to the Board of Review.