U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS RENDERING OF THE RESTORED AREA WHERE THE DAM ONCE STOOD

Early in the birth of Racine County the dam powered industry, but for the last 100 years, it has only served to impede the river’s health and access. The dam is not historic by any measure. Built in 1975, it lacks purpose and integrity. 

WATER QUALITY BEHIND THE DAM IS DEEMED “IMPAIRED” BY THE DNR

The dam is unsafe and at risk of failing as determined by the Wisconsin DNR’s 2009 Inspection Report. The dam is a “flow-in/flow-out” design, which means it does not control floods but does put people and properties downstream in danger of catastrophic flooding if it fails.

THE DAM IS AT RISK OF FAILURE, WHICH PUTS LIVES AND PROPERTY AT RISK DOWNSTREAM

Phosphorus and nutrient-laden sediment stacks up in the impoundments, which feeds invasive algae growth and warms water to intolerable levels for wildlife. Check out iPhone’s map app, which shows bright green algal blooms in the impounded areas–the sign of an unhealthy river.

TOXIC ALGAE IN THE IMPOUNDMENTS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS SKIN IRRITATIONS

The dam also creates stagnant “slack water” for slow paddling for some who frequent the area. Removal will not eliminate paddling upstream but will enhance it for more advanced paddlers and those who want to paddle all the way to Lake Michigan.

REMOVING THE DAM ALLOWS PADDLING ALL THE WAY TO LAKE MICHIGAN

Removal will not end fishing downstream of the dam’s current location. In fact, wading and shore fishing will expand into larger, drained areas where the impoundments exist upstream. Full migration for Lake Michigan fish will be reborn–allowing trout, salmon, pike, and other species to finally pass upstream to their instinctual spawning grounds. From Union Grove to New Berlin, over 160 miles of tributaries and connected wetlands will expand sportfishing for more people and improve habitats for more species.

THE DAM BLOCKS FISH PASSAGE TO WESTERN TRIBUTARIES AND WETLANDS

For 14 years, Racine County has been obligated to find a solution and the money to solve the Horlick Dam problem. Now, we have a responsible plan AND funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to implement the solution. 

THE IMPOUNDMENT ALLOWS FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF FINE SEDIMENTS THAT TYPICALLY STORE NUTRIENTS; FURTHER LOWERING DISSOLVED OXYGEN THROUGH ALGAL BLOOMS

Those who say alternatives have not been studied by the county haven’t read the Root River Plan or Horlick Dam Plan. Extensive community input and engineering analysis of the dam went into the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission’s (SEWRPC) Root River Plan (2013). Chapter Five analyzed six options with removal being recommended as the most beneficial AND cost effective.

The USACE’s Horlick Dam Plan (2023) provides a deeper analysis of five solutions–from fish ladders to notching to removal. Removal was chosen because it scored best for the environment AND taxpayers.

THE MATRIX OF DAM ALTERNATIVES TO BOOST FISH PASSAGE AND HABITAT EXPLORED BY USACE IN 2023

Root-Pike WIN helped the county secure the USACE grant and two others from the DNR and Fund for Lake Michigan, which further reduces removal costs. With these grants, the removal cost to the county is about $275,000. If the County Board chooses to rebuild or repair the dam, the cost to taxpayers would be in the millions.

Some believe the habitat just upstream of the dam is worth keeping. The reality is that the dam creates a “very poor” habitat upstream based on the USACE’s assessment. Removal would move the score to “exceptional.” The risk of invasive species, like the round goby and sea lamprey, moving upstream was rated as “low.”

USACE HABITAT BENEFIT INDEX OF DAM OPTIONS

Removing the dam has never been more important, urgent, and attainable. The cost of current and future repairs and ongoing maintenance makes the removal decision a no-brainer. To ask all Racine County taxpayers to bear the expense of keeping the dam to satisfy a few residents is simply unfair.

Contact your Racine County Board Supervisors and let them know everyone deserves a dam-free Root River.

Dave Giordano

Executive Director



dave@rootpikewin.org

(262) 883-4018

Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network

4116 12th St.

Kenosha, WI 53144

info@rootpikewin.org | 262-883-4018 | www.rootpikewin.org



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