HURON – Engineers and landscape architects say their proposal to make the area around the Third Street dam safer for fishing and other recreational uses will be ready to proceed to the construction phase, pending enough funding by next summer.
Since the initial public input and design sessions about three years ago, Stockwell Engineers of Sioux Falls has been developing components of a James River Recreational Area Master Plan for city-owned land along the river and Ravine Lake.
One of the early projects that has been completed has been to improve bank stabilization and enhance the landscaping on the popular Ravine Lake island.
David Stockwell and Jon Brown have now shared the company’s timeline for changes at the Third Street dam to eliminate the deadly undertow while maintaining public access.
The project estimate is put at $850,000.
Mayor Paul Aylward said the City Commission is ready to move forward if it can secure the funding. The city will likely request assistance from the James River Water Development District and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be used along with city money, he said.
“We haven’t taken a vote, but that’s the way it looks right now,” Aylward said.

Between now and the spring, FEMA must give its final blessing followed by additional engineering, he said.
The plan for the dam is to place large boulders below the dam and before the bridge to create rapids and eliminate the dangerous undertow which, over the years, has claimed several lives.
Brown said upstream areas of the river would be unchanged by the project. Downstream areas owned by the city, on the lower side of the dam, would experience higher levels of inundation, particularly during 100-year flooding.
There is no intent by the city to purchase property from private landowners in any of the areas in the plan.
He said a study will be completed to ensure that the bridge is not negatively impacted.
Boulders could be of fieldstone, quartzite or some other material.
Final design and construction plans are scheduled to be completed in May, with construction possible by late summer to early October.
Initially announced by the mayor at a State of the City luncheon a few years ago, the master plan includes redeveloping Riverside Park, the old sludge pond area, the former municipal pool site and the old water treatment plant location.
Also, the plan is expected to address expanded use of Crown Park, the Seventh Street Northeast boat ramp, Ravine Lake and Park and Memorial Park.

Photo:

This is an artist’s rendition of some of the changes that are planned in the 3rd Street Dam area, to improve access for fishing and other recreational uses. The project may begin as early as next summer, if funding can be secured.

Courtesy photo