DNR wanted project done as soon as possible
By Bert Lehman
A concrete portion of the south bank of the Pigeon River near the dam in Clintonville needs to be replaced.
Caz Muske, assistant city administrator and Public Works director, informed the Clintonville Streets Committee about the situation when it met July 30.
“There’s no immediate danger to the area,” Muske said. “The main concern is that that south bank retaining wall is undermined.”
After city officials met with representatives of Ayres Engineering and the DNR on July 20, it was recommended that the city replace the concrete section with riprap to match the following bank and beyond.
Muske said the labor for the project would cost around $25,000.
The original concern was there was an issue with the dam, but that is not the case, Muske said.
“The dam gates are completely fine, there is no issue with the dam gate system,” Muske said.
According to a letter dated July 22, from Ayres to Muske, the concrete steps “appear to be founded on poorly graded backfill, including non-uniform fill material, round cobbles, dirt, and a range of sands and gravels. The base of the wall was undermined so that the wall foundation about 30-40 feet downstream of the dam had a large linear void about 20 feet streamwise in length, three to five feet from the wall face into the slope, and up to 10 inches in void height.”
The void was noticed in mid-July after a rain event.
The area is marked off to keep the public out of the area.
“As long as nobody is on it, there is no immediate danger,” Muske said.
Committee Chairman Jim Supanich said there is no water seepage in the area, which confirms it is not an issue with the dam.
“If you look at it, that’s not anchored to any portion of the dam, nor the four-step area closest to the dam which has that curved section in it, none of that is actually anchored into the face of the dam, or any of the structures that are holding the dam that could cause problems for the dam to fail,” Supanich said.
Supanich said riprap is being suggested because that will eliminate much of the erosion along the river bank.
Riprap may also make the area look more aesthetically appealing.
“It’s an easier way to go than trying to put concrete back in,” Supanich said. “If we put concrete back in, eventually, the way that bank is sloped and eroding, we’ll have to replace it again.”
The city wants to complete this project as soon as possible, Muske said.
“The DNR would like us to get this done as quick as possible,” Supanich added. “They just don’t like the situation of the concrete maybe falling into the river.”
Committee member Tammy Strey-Hirt asked if the water level would need to be lowered for the work of the project to take place.
She added that the Pigeon Lake Rehabilitation District is planning to stock fish in the waterway and doesn’t want to lose all the fish if the water level needed to be lowered.
Muske said at this point the city is not considering lowering the water level.
“But, if there is a recommendation from the DNR to do that, the district will definitely be notified,” Muske said.