About 70 people attended the second St. Charles Dam Task Force meeting on May 2. In addition to presentations and subcommittee appointments, a significant question surfaced during the course of the discussion.

Who actually owns the dam?

• The City of St. Charles has stated the Illinois Department of Natural Resources owns the dam

• Some task force members disagreed, suggesting that ownership is unclear

• An environmental consultant said he was told by IDNR that the City owns the dam

• An alderperson suggested that ownership may have changed hands over the years (Hotel Baker may have owned it during the 1930s)

Some other key concerns were raised during the meeting:

• Attendees discussed how removing the dam could affect the Fox River's water levels and characteristics

• City staff was asked to provide data on emergency scenarios at the dam over the years

• Nine residents spoke, primarily against removing the dam

• Resident concerns included lower water levels, invasive species, siltation, increased insects and a negative impact on recreation

At the June 6 meeting, City staff is expected to provide proof of dam ownership and emergency data.

The task force may also begin engaging consultants to study dam removal impacts.

More details can be found here.

📖 Thanks for reading

Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions or comments.

Not signed up yet? Subscribe here.

🚀 Market your business locally

Do you — or any of your friends and colleagues — do business in the Tri-Cities area? Then you’ve got a chance to connect directly with 2,200+ local residents with an ad in Tri-Cities Central.

Just fill out this quick form (or share it with a friend) to get more info and start the process.