While federal funding has run dry for the study on removing the downtown dam in St. Charles, the city is considering a resolution to clarify its position of keeping the waterway impoundment.

City leaders are due to discuss the resolution during the committee of the whole meeting at City Hall on May 18. A final vote by the City Council is expected by June 1.

In 2023, the Illinois Department Of Natural Resources, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, initiated a study to examine 10 Fox River dams for potential removal stretching from Algonquin to Montgomery.

Engineers and several environmentalists favor removing the structures to prevent further ecosystem degradation from unnatural sediment buildup and decreased water oxygen levels that have accrued over decades.

Their aim is to return the Fox River to a slower-moving, shallower, meandering river, with abundant fish and mussel biodiversity, with the unobstructed ability for species to migrate up and downstream from where dams currently provide a barrier.

The city said its intent is to maintain the existing Fox River dam impoundment within the city to “preserve river depth, usability and recreational value.” The city said keeping the dam best “supports community needs” for current and future generations.

“The Fox River dam has played a significant role in the historical development of St. Charles, supporting early industry, shaping the riverfront landscape and contributing to the community’s culture,” the resolution states. “The river’s depth and navigability upstream of the dam support local businesses, tourism, and river-oriented amenities that are integral to the economic vitality of the downtown and surrounding areas.”

The city said even though the plug was pulled on federal funding, the resolution is intended to provide “clear guidance” between the city and the IDNR for future project considerations.

In 2024, the City Council created the Fox River Dam Joint Task Force to study the dam removal’s potential environmental, economic and recreational impacts. The task force was comprised of members of City Council, Park District staff, the River Corridor Foundation and residents.

With the resolution, the task force is now being deactivated.

The initial IDNR study examined enhancing human safety around dams in tandem with habitat restoration.

When the IDNR launched the study, one drop of water flowing from the Fox River’s source in Wisconsin had to navigate 15 dams before spilling into the Illinois River.

Before the loss of funding, only the Carpentersville Dam was removed. The study recommended removing a further nine dams and maintaining the one in Yorkville because it has a unique fish ladder system and extra “multi-step” safety mechanisms that are very expensive to replicate.

Tristan Widloe, steam specialist for the IDNR, previously said even with the more environmentally friendly dam in Yorkville, the dam still creates negative ecological and habitat effects.

Widloe said the dam creates an upstream pool containing excessive nutrients, sediment, and silt trapped by the dam. He said the decomposition of all that organic upstream material impairs water quality containing low dissolved oxygen levels. The slow, shallow water above the dam also increases water temperatures, providing unnatural ecosystems for aquatic wildlife.

The full extent of St. Charles’ “Fox River Dam Joint Task Force” discussions can be seen by visiting, engage.stcharlesil.gov/fox-river-dam.