NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- The Providence Dam in New Albany’s Silver Creek could be demolished because ecologists are concerned about possible safety issues.
The dam, which is located under Browns Station Way, is more than 100 feet long, 6 feet high, and 3 feet thick. Currently, it is submerged due to high creek levels and recent rain.
"You can't even hardly see or notice that it's there," said Fourth District Councilman Patrick McLaughlin, who took his kayak to the river to see the damn up close. "I came out Saturday to look about putting in (the kayak) on Sunday, and there was about 3 or 4-foot drop there and I didn't want to get hung up in a current."
When the water is low enough, the dam can create a drop that can be several feet — making it a danger to anyone swimming or kayaking in the area.
Fourth District Councilman Patrick McLaughlin kayaks near Providence Dam in New Albany's Silver Creek. (WDRB photo)
"There is a severe current at the toe of the dam that can trap a human and they can't get out, and every year there is somebody that loses their life," said Jerry Sweeten, a stream restoration ecologist.
To prevent that from happening, The River Heritage Conservancy and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources are hosting a meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library to discuss options — including removal of the dam — with the public.
"It doesn't hold any floodwater; it doesn't prevent flooding," Sweeten said. "It doesn't change the volume of water that passes down the stream; it only acts as a small barrier."
The Providence Dam in New Albany’s Silver Creek. (WDRB photo)
In a post on the city's website, New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan said officials are "taking steps to ensure the New Albany Loop Island Wetlands are not harmed by the removal of the dam." The wetlands are about a mile downstream from the dam.
"We want to make sure that the crown jewel of the Ohio River greenway, the New Albany Loop Island Wetlands, is preserved, protected, and will not be negatively impacted by the removal of the dam," Gahan said.
A bill passed in 2019 says safety signs must be posted around any low-head dams if they are on private property. The Providence Dam is not.
The New Albany Loop Island Wetlands in southern Indiana. (WDRB photo)
Not only is safety a consideration, but officials also want to consider ecological restoration and the river's fish supply.
"That's exactly the question we are trying to answer: 'What is the benefit and what are the risks of removing a dam?'" Sweeten said.
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