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Posted: May 22, 2018

Low dam removal to
improve Great Miami River

By fall, paddlers and trail users will enjoy a new look and feel along the Great Miami River near the University of Dayton Arena. A dangerous low dam will be removed. In its place, water will cascade over a riffle of stones, creating a more picturesque experience while improving river safety, river access, and water quality in the Great Miami Riverway.

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is fully funding the $1.75 million project to remove the Tait Station low dam. The project is scheduled to begin July 1 and be completed in October.

“Removing Tait Station Low Dam is a real positive for the paddling community,” says Sarah Hippensteel Hall, MCD manager for watershed partnerships. “Low dams are notoriously dangerous. Boaters can be trapped at low dams and drown. Now, people will be able to more safely enjoy this section of the river.”

Removal of the dam also is expected to improve water quality as well as habitat for fish, insects and birds that live in and along the river.

Miami Conservancy District (MCD) worked with ODOT to secure funding for the project. The Tait Station low dam project is part of MCD’s work to improve conditions along the Great Miami Riverway – 99 miles of river, paved trails and connected communities in southwest Ohio.

The 2015 US Army Corps of Engineers report about the Great Miami River Corridor recommended removing the low dam. Both the City of Dayton and Montgomery County passed resolutions supporting the project.

The dam no longer serves any purpose and needs extensive repairs totaling $5 to $8 million. It is not part of MCD’s flood protection system.