Big Rapids Muskegon River Dam Remnant Removal Project

The City of Big Rapids owns a former hydro-dam river obstruction on the Muskegon River within the City limits. The City purchased this "facility" on February 20, 1976. Since 1912, this site has been the location of a power generating facility, owned by a number of corporations, most recently a four member consortium, with Consumers Power being the majority stock holder.

The dam was deactivated in 1955 and partially removed in 1966. Since that time, this remnant has obstructed fish passage on the Muskegon River. Additionally, it has endangered innumerable river users (i.e. tubers, canoers, fisherman, etc. Since 1991, three people have drowned within 750 feet of the dam, most recently, a GMI student died in August of 1997 when his canoe overturned while "shooting the dam".

The City has worked with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to remove this structure for the last four years. In 1995, the City and the DNR jointly funded a study to determine whether removal was feasible - it is. In 1996, the DNR funded the development of demolition bidding documents. In January of 1998, the DEQ received comment on the removal as part of the overall permit process.

The estimated cost of the dam relic removal is $1.4 million. The bulk of the cost comes from the necessity to properly handle the clean sediment anticipated to be transmitted downstream once the remnant is removed. The City has worked with the United States Geological Survey to test and quantify the amount of sediment expected to be released. The City has worked exhaustively with other local units of Government to understand and manage downstream riparian rights concerns about the release of sediment. Those downstream property rights people can still remember 1966, when the upper portion of the dam was removed releasing an estimated one million cubic yards of sediment in an uncontrolled fashion.

In 1996, the City successfully applied to the DNR for $820,000 of funds from the Michigan Habitat Improvement Fund. The dollars "granted" to the City come from licensure fees paid by Consumers Power for the 11 operating hydroelectric projects on the Muskegon, Au Sable and Manistee Rivers. Consumers Power objected to the City's "grant" and requested a hearing on this issue by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In February of 1998, FERC agreed with Consumers Power's position and directed the DNR to reallocate the money to other projects. The Michigan DNR and the Attorney General's office submitted a Request for Reconsideration in April of 1998.