Although no exact date has been set, the Little Hope dam will be removed this summer.
“As soon as we’re done with the work on County E, we will start work on the dam,” according to Waupaca Highway Commissioner Dean Steingraber.
Steingraber said the highway department and the Waupaca County Parks and Recreation Department have developed a removal plan that was approved by the state Department of Natural Resources.
A temporary bridge consisting of a large culvert will be placed between the existing dam abutments.
The culvert will be covered with large stones, which will allow county crews to move heavy equipment from the east side to begin work on the west side of the dam.
Fill will be removed from the west side of the dam, the embankment will be widened, the slope flattened and riprap added to protect it from erosion.
Once work on the west side is completed, the crews and equipment will move to the east side, remove the temporary culvert, the concrete floor of the dam and its east abutment.
The guard rail on the west side will also be removed. The embankments will be seeded and mulched.
Steingraber said once work begins, the project is estimated to take about two weeks, depending on weather.
County Trunk K and Nelson Park will be closed during the project.
Traffic will be detoured along Parfreyville Road, which connects to County K both north and west of the work area.
Steingraber said there will be access to all businesses in the area via the detour route.
“Waupaca County understands that the removal of the dam is an emotional issue for area residents,” Steingraber said. “For safety reasons and to allow highway department crews to complete the work in an efficient manner, we are asking the public’s cooperation in staying away from the work area for the duration of the project.”
For more information about the project, contact county Parks Director Roger Holman at 715-258-6243 or Steingraber at 715-258-7152.