Community Corner
Low Head Dam Celebration Planned In Ames For May 1
Parking is available at softball fields in North River Valley Park, 725 E. 13th St. Accessible parking is located to north of the fields.
April 6, 2021
Celebrate the Low Head Dam Modifications Project completion with a ribbon-cutting at the River Valley Park Cottonwood Shelter beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 1. An outdoor open house with booths from various organizations will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Free tree seedlings will be given away to encourage tree planting. Parking is available at the softball fields in North River Valley Park, 725 E. 13th St. Accessible parking is located to the north of the fields.
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Since 1984, the low head dam constructed in North River Valley Park has pooled water in the South Skunk River to recharge the aquifer that supplies Ames with drinking water, however, the dam made the waterway inaccessible for paddlers due to the dangerous recirculation hydraulics it created. Now, the dam has been reimagined into a recreational asset that still allows water to pool, but also creates riverbank access for visitors and an exciting water obstacle for paddlers.
By placing a sequence of boulder weirs in the waterway, a small section of river rapids provides a thrill for kayakers, tubers, and canoers. A nearby fish passage allows for the migration of aquatic species upstream. The improved riverbank access allows anglers, water trail users, and visitors to get closer to the water. Nearly 2,000 cubic yards of material from the riverbank was excavated to open the area to the public and to provide protection against flooding. A path along with the upstream and downstream portage was included in the project.
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A portion of funding for the project was provided by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Low Head Dam Mitigation Grant Program and the Water Trails Grant Program, along with pledges from the Outdoor Alliance of Story County, Iowa Whitewater Coalition, the Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association, Skunk River Paddlers, and the family of Spencer Veysey.
This press release was produced by the City of Ames. The views expressed here are the author’s own.