NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) — Nearly a year after WDRB first showed video of contractors dumping hundreds of tons of rock behind the Silver Creek Dam, we now know how much the City of New Albany paid for the controversial project — and we didn’t get the numbers from the mayor’s office.
According to court records, the total cost of the project exceeds $124,000.
On Aug. 6, 2024, WDRB aired footage showing a contractor — hired by the city — building a road and using heavy machinery to place rock along the dam in what Mayor Jeff Gahan later called “emergency maintenance" after Andre "AJ" Edwards drowned near the dam on Memorial Day last year.
The Army Corps of Engineers had a different view, issuing a Cease and Desist order that same month. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources also directed the city to stop the work on the Silver Creek Dam, also called the Providence Mill Dam.
Since then, WDRB has repeatedly asked the mayor’s office for cost information and documentation related to the project. To date, those questions have gone unanswered. But financial records obtained through the court system show the following:
The contractor responsible for the work billed the city $78,200. That invoice was sent to New Albany Flood Control at 142 East Main Street, Suite 310, which is also the address of Mayor Gahan’s office.
IMI Aggregates sent four invoices totaling $42,354.70 for the rock itself, along with delivery and environmental fees. Those invoices were addressed to the New Albany Storm Drainage Department at 2113 Grant Line Road.
The contractor also issued two finance charge statements totaling $3,509.36 to New Albany Flood Control.
In total, the work cost taxpayers at least $124,063.70.
WDRB began requesting information in August 2024, shortly after the rock dumping took place. When WDRB visited Mayor Gahan’s office on Aug. 18, 2024, we were referred to a social media post. WDRB tried a second time, on Sept. 18, 2024, but the mayor was out, and city attorney Shane Gibson declined to provide details about restoration plans for the dam, stating, “I’m not going into details on what was shipped to them.”
Despite multiple open records requests filed, the city has not responded.
On Thursday, WDRB returned once again to the mayor’s office for a third attempt to get answers in person. Mayor Gahan was not available, but we did receive a brief statement:
“The dam has been restored to its original condition.”
Whether that’s true remains unclear. Water levels remain too high to verify the claim independently.
WDRB will continue to stay on top of this story.
Previous Coverage:
New Albany mayor authorizes emergency maintenance at Silver Creek dam where teen drowned
Family of 14-year-old who drowned in Silver Creek joins renewed calls for removal of dam
Fight between city, Indiana DNR over dam in New Albany returns to court
Indiana DNR orders city of New Albany to stop emergency repair work at Silver Creek dam
New Albany's mayor takes to social media to defend emergency work at Silver Creek Dam
Indiana DNR asking courts to take action against New Albany over Silver Creek dam
Copyright 2025 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
