Batavia to continue exploring dam removal options

Well over a year after approving plans to remove the dam from the Fox River in Batavia, City Council members are preparing to take the first step of the project this summer; a feasibility study.

While the City finalized a plan to replace the downtown dam with a series of rock weirs in 2023, no progress towards the dam’s removal has been made since then. Now, the city is planning to conduct a feasibility study before moving forward with engineering plans.

At their April 15 Committee of the Whole meeting, council members will review a proposal from prospective consultant V3 Companies to study the feasibility of the dam’s removal and identify any available alternative options.

The City would pay V3 Companies $19,950 to conduct the study, if approved.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a study of the Fox River in 2023 that recommended removal of several Fox River dams in Kane County, sparking controversy among communities along the river.

Faced with the decision to remove their dams or be forced to take ownership of them, other municipalities along the Fox River have been scrambling to decide their dams’ fate.

The city of Batavia, however, is in a unique position compared to its neighbors along the river, in that it already owns its dam and has been planning its removal for decades, due to deterioration and safety concerns.

The concrete low head dam in Batavia is more than 100 years old and has been crumbling for years. It spans about 365 feet in length with an 11.5-foot drop.

One of the major factors in the City’s planing efforts has been maintaining Depot Pond. The dam creates a pool of water that extends north into Fabyan Forest Preserve in Geneva, and full removal of the dam would turn the pond into a mudflat

While the city owns the dam, Depot Pond is owned by the Batavia Park District. The two entities have been working together since 2019, and finalized the Fox River Corridor Master Plan in 2023, which identified plans for the dam’s future.

The River Corridor Master Plan calls for the dam to be removed and replaced with a series of step down rock weirs, effectively maintaining Depot Pond, with consideration for adding a whitewater rapids feature. Associated costs for the project are estimated at more than $13 million.

While no timelines, funding sources or parties’ responsibilities were identified in the plan, City Council members continued planning last year, and are getting ready to take the first step; hiring a consultant to conduct a feasibility study.

On Tuesday, April 15 Council members will hear hear from Woodridge-based engineering firm V3 Companies, LTD, and make a recommendation on whether to hire them as consultants to conduct the study.

According to the proposal submitted by V3 Companies, they will evaluate several alternative options for dam replacement, outlining the pros and cons of each, and present their findings in a report.

The scope of the study does not include collecting new field data or engaging in detailed hydraulic modeling, but is expected to deliver a high-level assessment and recommendations to help council members make more informed decisions and support public engagement.

According to the timeline included V3 Companies’ proposal, they will provide the City with a draft of their report by June 20, hear comments from the city by July 3 and provide their final report on July 18.

The City is expected to use the study findings to identify the type of dam replacement they want to install and get more information on the possible costs and economic impacts the project may have.

If the proposal receives a positive recommendation from committee members, the resolution is expected to return at the April 21 City Council meeting for possible final approval.

Once a a dam alternative is identified, the next step of the project will be to begin the engineering phase.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 15 at the City Council Chambers located at 100 N. Island Ave.