| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Date RC# Bill Vote
07-15 447 H R 5114 Aye
07-15 446 H R 5114 No
07-15 445 H R 5114 Aye
07-15 444 H R 5114 Aye
07-15 443 H RES 1517 Yea
Jul 16, 2010
Kildee Secures More Than $4 Million for Saginaw River Dredging
Jul 16, 2010
Kildee Secures $700,000 for Hamilton Dam
Jul 16, 2010
Kildee Secures $800,000 for Crim Foundation to Fight Obesity in Flint Schools
Search Bill Number
(ex. H.R. 14 or H.Res 396)
Search by Word/Phrase
(ex. Healthcare)
Kildee Secures $700,000 for Hamilton Dam
July 16, 2010 11:28 AM
Kildee has secured more than $1 million for this project
Contact: Erin Donar
(202) 225-3611
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced today that he has secured $700,000 in federal funding for the Hamilton Dam. This funding was secured in the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, which passed the House Appropriations Subcommittee late yesterday. The bill still must be approved by the full House and Senate before it can be signed into law.
“Hamilton Dam is desperately in need of repairs and maintenance. This funding will help shore up the dam, improving its usefulness as well as protecting public safety. I am proud that I was able to secure these funds for our area,” said Congressman Kildee.
Listed below are details of the project:
$700,000 for the Hamilton Dam
The Hamilton Dam is owned by the City of Flint Michigan and has been classified by the State of Michigan dam safety inspection team as a “high hazard potential dam.” Only two of the six gates are currently functional, and failure is a possibility. This funding will allow for continued maintenance.
Since FY2009 Congressman Kildee has secured $1,042,000 for this project.
###
View Other Press Releases On:Appropriations
Kildee Secures More Than $4 Million for Saginaw River Dredging
Kildee Secures $700,000 for Hamilton Dam
Kildee Secures $800,000 for Crim Foundation to Fight Obesity in Flint Schools
Kildee Secures $750,000 for Flint MTA
Kildee Secures $500,000 for ShotSpotter Gunshot Location System
Kildee Secures $625,000 for Hurley Medical Center
Kildee Secures $100,000 to Improve Safety and Education for Children in Tuscola
Kildee Secures $3 Million for Mott and Kettering
Kildee Brings $500,000 to Saginaw Transit Authority
Kildee Secures $300,000 to Rehabilitate Bay City Streets
Kildee Secures $350,000 for Bay Regional Medical Center
Kildee Secures $350,000 for Hurley Medical Center
Kildee Announces $190,000 for Mott Community College
Kildee Secures Nearly $5 Million for the 5th District of Michigan
Kildee Secures Nearly $5 Million for the 5th District of Michigan
Kildee Secures $4.7 Million for Saginaw, Bay and Tuscola Counties
Kildee Secures $6.4 Million in Total FY09 Funding for Genesee
Kildee Secures $4.4 Million in Federal Funds for Saginaw, Bay and Tuscola in Fiscal Year 2009
Kildee Secures $6.4 Million in Federal Funds for Genesee County in Fiscal Year 2009
Highway Bill to Provide $10 Million to Fund I-675 Ramp
$10 Million to Improve Access to Downtown Saginaw
Kildee Secures $1.1 Million for Saginaw Transportation and Development
Kildee Secures More Than $3.3 Million for Flint Transportation and Development
Kildee Reserves $3.4 Million for Mott & Kettering
Kildee Secures $640,000 for Flint Healthcare Facilities
Kildee Secures $4.2 Million for Saginaw, Bay Counties
Kildee Secures $9.1 Million City of Flint and Genesee County
Congressman Dale Kildee 916 Washington Ave., Suite 205
Bay City, MI 21043
Phone: (989) 891-0990
Fax: (989) 891-0994 Saginaw Office
Dale E. Kildee 515 N. Washington Ave., Suite 401
Saginaw, MI 48607-1370
Phone: (989) 755-8904
Fax: (989) 755-8908 Flint Office
Dale E. Kildee 432 N. Saginaw St., Suite 410
Flint, MI 48502-2018
Phone: (810) 239-1437
Fax: (810) 239-1439 Washington, DC Office
Dale E. Kildee 2107 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3611
Fax: (202) 225-6393 Toll Free to Michigan Offices: 1-800-662-2685 Banner photos courtesy of: Genesee County Parks & Recreation, Tumble Dry Low Cards, the Bavarian Inn Restaurant, Mott Community College, Kettering University, the Michigan Sugar Company, and the Bay City Convention & Visitors Bureau |
|
|
Sat Jul 17, 2010 4:43 pm |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Flint River to be set free: Hamilton Dam to be removed
Options include 'strong possibility' of rec component
Michael Stechschulte
Issue date: 11/24/08 Section: Local News
PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 2 next >
Media Credit: Michael Stechschulte
The Hamilton Dam has been labeled one of Michigan's top five most likely to break.
The Flint River will be set free soon.
That's because the Hamilton Dam will be torn down-hopefully, before it falls down.
After years of indecision over what to do about the dangerously deteriorating 88-year-old dam, the city of Flint has opted to remove the structure - or at least its visible parts.
City management is still in the process of deciding which of two competing proposals to adopt in the dam's place.
The decision not to replace or renovate the structure was made based on cost concerns, according to Matt Sherwood, utilities communications coordinator for the city of Flint.
"It's a lot cheaper to remove it than to replace it," Sherwood said, adding that the city had been looking at a $7-10 million price tag for a replacement project. "Everything visible above the water will be removed."
Though the city has yet to decide on how best to proceed with a fixed spillway, Sherwood said officials are looking at the "strong possibility of a recreational component."
Recreation Engineering & Planning, a firm out of Colorado, presented the Flint River Watershed Coalition, an advocacy group helping with the project, with a proposal that included a series of short drops and strategically placed boulders to create a man-made whitewater park.
Rebecca Fedewa, executive director of the Watershed Coalition, said REP's design would create a safe passageway for boats and kayakers, but wouldn't necessarily be as rigorous as the name suggests.
"The name of 'whitewater park' is kind of a misnomer," Fedewa said. "It'll be rapidly moving water. I doubt it will ever actually get to whitewater unless we get a huge rain event."
Fedewa added that the new design could also include terracing along the walls of the river to allow easy access in and out of the water.
Also included in REP's proposal was the possible removal of the Fiber Dam - the next dam downstream from Hamilton located behind Character Inn - to allow for paddling and fish passage through the entire downtown corridor. The proposal was estimated between $2.1 and $3 million, depending on whether the Fiber Dam was addressed as part of the project.
REP has built several other whitewater parks throughout the country, including Reno Whitewater Park in downtown Reno, Nev., which has hosted the Reno Whitewater Festival and Teva Mountain Games in the past. According to another study in 2007, the Flint River is "more than adequate" for a whitewater park.
Stantec, an engineering firm in Ann Arbor, also presented the city with results a $30,000 feasibility study. Dave Lossing, UM-Flint's governmental affairs director and co-chair of the Hamilton Dam subcommittee of the Flint River Corridor Alliance, said Stantec's proposal included a fixed weir, a type of small overflow dam, to replace the current structure. Lossing said either proposal would be far less costly than replacing or repairing the structure of the current dam.
According to Sherwood, intake for the city's emergency water supply is the primary concern, meaning any project would have to include flow controls, which could also guard against flooding during heavy rains.
Sherwood also said there are environmental reasons to tear down the dam.
"Everyone is looking to remove dams and 'go green,' " he said.
Going "green" is important to Fedewa and the Watershed Coalition. But despite hiring REP, Fedewa said it didn't matter which proposal was ultimately chosen, as long as environmental considerations were taken.
"What we're favoring is a river that is natural and an amenity to the city. So if it turns out that Stantec's proposal is that, then that's fine," Fedewa said. "We were basically hiring REP to provide an option other than putting another dam in there. And the city subsequently asked Stantec to do a little more in looking at fish passage and those sorts of things.
"[The proposals] look very different, but as long as there's a caveat that it's a usable river that's safe for people and a nice draw to downtown, that's really what we're concerned about," Fedewa said.
Lossing said once the city picks a proposal, the design phase could take up to six months to complete, and the construction phase could take another three months. According to Lossing, the city hopes to start construction as early as next summer, but funding is still a major concern.
"The (U.S.) House has included an earmark [for the project]," Lossing said. "The Senate declined to take it up. That's complicated by the fact that the federal budget is not set up yet. They're under a continued resolution to fund everything through March of '09. If they have another continued resolution in March for the rest of the fiscal year, the earmarks are gone, basically."
If the city doesn't get funding from the federal government, the alternative would likely be to pass water and sewer bonds to pay for the project, something the city wants to avoid. Lossing said any grant funding for a new structure would be unlikely.
Mike can be reached at mistechs@umflint.edu. |
|
|
|
Sat Jul 17, 2010 4:47 pm |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Located along the Flint River in the heart of downtown Flint, Michigan (near the University of Michigan-Flint campus, upstream of Harrison and Saginaw Streets), the Hamilton Dam has a long history of service to the City of Flint. In its early days, after it was constructed in 1920, it facilitated milling operations for the region’s logging industry and served as a water source for local industries. Throughout its entire life, the dam has helped regulate the flow of water in the Flint River. In the 1960s the dam served as the upstream anchor point for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Flood Control Project.
Repairs to the dam were made in 1964 and again in the early 1990s to repair structural deficiencies in the concrete structure and the floodgates. As a result of continued deterioration and operational issues, this dam is currently classified as a High Hazard Critical Dam. Any action taken to address problems with the dam must accommodate a number of readily apparent operational constraints. Currently, the dam regulates downstream flow of the River to maintain the minimum flows required for compliance with discharge of treated wastewater from the City’s treatment facility. It also maintains an upstream impoundment depth sufficient to allow operation of the City’s water treatment plant. Finally, the impoundment likely provides sufficient back pressure against potentially contaminated groundwater, thus preventing or at least minimizing flow of these contaminants down the river.
In late 2009, the City of Flint engaged a team of consultants to build upon past studies in order to develop a preliminary design for modifications to the Hamilton Dam as well as preliminary design for restoration of the downstream river corridor through the Chevy in the Hole project area.
^Top
© 2010 Wade Trim Email Webmaster |
|
|
|
Sat Jul 17, 2010 4:53 pm |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
I don't remember Kildee or he news outlets telling us the stimulus money included $6 million for Hamilton Avenue Dam
Stimulus Work Search
This tool shows where the stimulus money is going and what it is being used for. It is free for all to use. We ask that if you find it useful, you inform others who might as well.
City:
Job Size: Minimum Maximum
Flint Stimulus Contracts
Need surety bonds in Flint? Get a free quote now!
Type Details Job Size
Public Safety Implement a improved Safety Signal at 12th St. and Ballenger Hwy. And Miller Road and Ballenger Hwy. $170,000
Public Safety Implement and construct a total new safety design intersection at two City of Flint street intersections. Pasadena/Dupont and Pasadena/Freemont locations. $855,000
Public Safety Repair the "Main" Street Bridge in the City of Flint. Saginaw Street Bridge as part of the Flint River Restoration. $900,000
Public Safety Repair the Kearsley Park Blvd Motorized Vehicle Traffic Bridge that crosses over Gilkey Creek. $900,000
Public Safety Implement the newly designed traffic route for the entire City of Flint Downtown area. Fourteen (14) intersections are involved in the redesign. This improvement will improve pedestrian and vehicle safety. $1,400,000
Public Safety Repair the Robert T. Longway Motorized Vehicle Bridge that crosses over Thread Creek. $1,200,000
Public Safety Repair the S. Grand Traverse Motorized Vehicle Bridge that crosses over Thread Creek. $1,300,000
Public Safety Repair the South Grand Traverse Motorized Traffic Bridge that crosses over Thread Creek. $1,300,000
Public Safety Repair the Fenton Road Motorized Vehicle Traffic Bridge that crosses over Thread Creek. $1,900,000
Public Safety Repair the W. Second Street Motorized Vehicle Bridge that crosses over Swartz Creek. $3,400,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" W. Second St. from Grand Traverse to Harrison Rd. $300,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" W. Second Street from Chase St. to Grand Traverse. $400,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" W. Stewart Ave from Clio Road to Dupont Street. $400,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Chevrolet Ave. From Chevrolet Bridge past Kettering University to University Ave. $1,100,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Chevrolet Connector from Hammerberg Rd. to Chevrolet. This is a critical upgrade to improve the Kettering Enterence off I-69. $1,200,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Clio Road, from W. Stewart Ave. to Pierson Road $800,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Glenwood Ave. from Court St. to Stevenson St. $500,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Lippencott Blvd. from Burr Blvd to Averill St. $900,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" MLK-W. Pierson Rd.to Carpenter Rd. $1,300,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" West 12th Street from Hammerberg to Fenton Road $920,000
Streets/Roads The City of Flint and Genesee County Planning Commission have completed engineering plans for construction of the Genesse Valley Trailway. River Bank Park to City Limits. $600,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Industrial St. from Stewart to Hamilton Ave. $2,100,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Iroquois St. from Pasadena to Welch Blvd. $2,500,000
Streets/Roads Exciting News! The City of Flint and Genesee County Planning Commission have completed engineering plans for the construction of The Grand Traverse GreenWay. $1,300,000
Streets/Roads Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Flint River to Pierson Road. $6,300,000
Water $0
Water Construct and fabricate a new water buster-station at Torrey Road in the City of Flint. This a signifcant priority for the City. This is necessary to insure the functioning at a General Motors manufacturing facility and a large local neighborhood and co $2,000,000
Water Utah Dam removal and fabrcation and construction of a pedestrian bridge. $1,300,000
Water Update the City of Flint Water Plant to function as a stand alone water purifacation and distribution plant (Flint River the water source). $25,000,000
Water Update the City of Flint Water Plant to function as a stand alone water purifacation and distribution plant(Lake Huron water source). $15,000,000
Water Update the infrastructure of the water pumping system for the entire City of Flint River Bank Park. Include habitate restoration and enhanced fish passage $3,000,000
Water Hamilton Dam removal and rock rapid creation. Fishery restoration on the Flint River. Flood protection remaining. Fabri Dam removal and rock rapid design. Fish passage and flood protection included. $6,000,000
Bonding Information
Surety Bonds 101
FAQ (General)
FAQ (Specific)
Surety Bond Blog
Surety Bond Forums
Tools
Testimonials:
I get extremely busy and tend to have momentary "freak-outs" yet my agent was still patient with me and we got things done. I would recommend this company to anyone.
-Kristy Young of Great Lakes Financial Corporation on 09/20/2007
[My Agent] was available for any questions, returned my calls promptly and was reliable in what he promised. 48 hours later I had the bond in my hand!
-Christine Francese of Bayberry Mortgage Group, Inc. on 01/12/2007
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Select A Bond Type) Appeal BondARC Bond Auto Dealer Bond Bid Bond Collection Agency Bond Construction Bond Contractor License Bond Developers Bond Fuel Tax Bond Freight Broker BMC-84 Bond Health Club Bond Guardianship Bond Insurance Broker Bond License & Permit Bond (not listed) Lottery Bond Maintenance Bond Medicare (DMEPOS) Bond Miscellaneous Bond (not listed) Mobile Home Dealer Bond Money Transmitter Bond Mortgage Lender Bond Mortgage Broker Bond Performance Bond Pay Day Loan Bond Probate Bond Preneed Funeral Bond Sales Tax Bond Seller of Travel Bond Site-Improvement Bond Subdivision Bond Supply Bond Surplus Lines Broker Bond Telemarketing Bond Title Agency Bond Used Car Dealer Bond Utility Bond Wage & Welfare Bond
Bond Amount:
Federal Government Local Government Other (not listed) Private Company Union NOT REQUIRED Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Required By:
Email Estimate To:
Copyright © 2003 - 2010 JW Bond Consultants, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Pipersville, PA
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | XML | A surety bond only agency. |
|
|
|
Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:59 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
|
|
Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:02 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Projects in Flint, Michigan
Below are the "shovel-ready" projects for which this city submitted in the 2008 U.S. Conference of Mayors report. You can click on a project to read (and add to) its description. You can also discuss the project and vote on whether you believe it is critical or not.
The total cost of all the projects submitted by Flint is $86,245,000
Description City State Jobs Cost Program Type Vote Ratio
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Flint River to Pierson Road. Flint MI 130 $6,300,000 Streets/Roads -5
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Iroquois St. from Pasadena to Welch Blvd. Flint MI 40 $2,500,000 Streets/Roads -6
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Industrial St. from Stewart to Hamilton Ave. Flint MI 40 $2,100,000 Streets/Roads -17
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" MLK-W. Pierson Rd.to Carpenter Rd. Flint MI 30 $1,300,000 Streets/Roads -6
Exciting News! The City of Flint and Genesee County Planning Commission have completed engineering plans for the construction of The Grand Traverse GreenWay. Flint MI 60 $1,300,000 Streets/Roads -36
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Chevrolet Connector from Hammerberg Rd. to Chevrolet. This is a critical upgrade to improve the Kettering Enterence off I-69. Flint MI 30 $1,200,000 Streets/Roads 11
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Chevrolet Ave. From Chevrolet Bridge past Kettering University to University Ave. Flint MI 30 $1,100,000 Streets/Roads 5
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" West 12th Street from Hammerberg to Fenton Road Flint MI 30 $920,000 Streets/Roads 4
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Lippencott Blvd. from Burr Blvd to Averill St. Flint MI 30 $900,000 Streets/Roads -7
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Clio Road, from W. Stewart Ave. to Pierson Road Flint MI 30 $800,000 Streets/Roads -7
The City of Flint and Genesee County Planning Commission have completed engineering plans for construction of the Genesse Valley Trailway. River Bank Park to City Limits. Flint MI 35 $600,000 Streets/Roads -22
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" Glenwood Ave. from Court St. to Stevenson St. Flint MI 30 $500,000 Streets/Roads -3
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" W. Second Street from Chase St. to Grand Traverse. Flint MI 20 $400,000 Streets/Roads 1
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" W. Stewart Ave from Clio Road to Dupont Street. Flint MI 20 $400,000 Streets/Roads -3
Paving of "Key Infrastructure Roadway" W. Second St. from Grand Traverse to Harrison Rd. Flint MI 15 $300,000 Streets/Roads -4
Update the City of Flint Water Plant to function as a stand alone water purifacation and distribution plant (Flint River the water source). Flint MI 50 $25,000,000 Water 24
Update the City of Flint Water Plant to function as a stand alone water purifacation and distribution plant(Lake Huron water source). Flint MI 50 $15,000,000 Water 20
Hamilton Dam removal and rock rapid creation. Fishery restoration on the Flint River. Flood protection remaining. Fabri Dam removal and rock rapid design. Fish passage and flood protection included. Flint MI 75 $6,000,000 Water 23
Update the infrastructure of the water pumping system for the entire City of Flint River Bank Park. Include habitate restoration and enhanced fish passage Flint MI 50 $3,000,000 Water 8
Construct and fabricate a new water buster-station at Torrey Road in the City of Flint. This a signifcant priority for the City. This is necessary to insure the functioning at a General Motors manufacturing facility and a large local neighborhood and co Flint MI 20 $2,000,000 Water 6
Utah Dam removal and fabrcation and construction of a pedestrian bridge. Flint MI 35 $1,300,000 Water -1
http://stimuluswatch.org/project/view/5268 Flint MI 0 $0 Water 1
Repair the W. Second Street Motorized Vehicle Bridge that crosses over Swartz Creek. Flint MI 60 $3,400,000 Public Safety 3
Repair the Fenton Road Motorized Vehicle Traffic Bridge that crosses over Thread Creek. Flint MI 40 $1,900,000 Public Safety 3
Implement the newly designed traffic route for the entire City of Flint Downtown area. Fourteen (14) intersections are involved in the redesign. This improvement will improve pedestrian and vehicle safety. Flint MI 35 $1,400,000 Public Safety -18
Repair the S. Grand Traverse Motorized Vehicle Bridge that crosses over Thread Creek. Flint MI 35 $1,300,000 Public Safety 3
Repair the South Grand Traverse Motorized Traffic Bridge that crosses over Thread Creek. Flint MI 35 $1,300,000 Public Safety 1
Repair the Robert T. Longway Motorized Vehicle Bridge that crosses over Thread Creek. Flint MI 35 $1,200,000 Public Safety 4
Repair the "Main" Street Bridge in the City of Flint. Saginaw Street Bridge as part of the Flint River Restoration. Flint MI 30 $900,000 Public Safety 8
Repair the Kearsley Park Blvd Motorized Vehicle Traffic Bridge that crosses over Gilkey Creek. Flint MI 30 $900,000 Public Safety 2
Implement and construct a total new safety design intersection at two City of Flint street intersections. Pasadena/Dupont and Pasadena/Freemont locations. Flint MI 25 $855,000 Public Safety -22
Implement a improved Safety Signal at 12th St. and Ballenger Hwy. And Miller Road and Ballenger Hwy. Flint MI 15 $170,000 Public Safety -5
www.StimulusWatch.org Home • FAQs • Tell A Friend • News • RSS • Contact Us |
|
|
|
Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:20 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
City of Flint working on plan to replace aging Hamilton Dam
Published: Friday, July 23, 2010, 5:00 AM
Kristin Longley | Flint Journal
Follow Share this story
FLINT, Michigan — Seated on the banks of the Flint River, Eddie Robinson’s mind flashes back decades in time to when he and his grade school buddies would race across the Hamilton Dam.
The year is 1959 — the fledgling University of Michigan-Flint was picking up steam and downtown visitors strolled across the dam’s pedestrian bridge every day.
“A lot of people would come down here to fish and sit by the river,” said Robinson, 61. “It brings back a lot of good memories for me. It was a big part of my childhood and it’s a part of Flint.”
Fast forward to present day and a harsh reality — the passing time and the elements haven’t been good to the Hamilton Dam. Garbage pools inside the crumbling arches and contaminated water trickles through its broken gates.
The historic structure is classified by state inspectors as a “high hazard,” meaning there’s a potential the 90-year-old dam could fail, sending torrents of river water through downtown Flint, threatening buildings and lives.
Only two of the dam’s six gates, which open and close to regulate the flow of water, are functional.
“The catastrophe of a dam failure would result in the potential for significant property damage and loss of life,” said Steve Montle, green cities coordinator for the city of Flint.
The city is working on a solution, he said.
A plan to replace the city-owned dam with a new “multi-weir rock rapids” design is gaining momentum — though construction is likely still years away, said Montle, who is leading the project for the city.
The city of Flint is working with engineering firm Wade Trim on a pre-design, and the city is seeking cost estimates for the project, Montle said. The city has already spent $600,000 for design work, engineering, water testing and other activities, he said. The Flint River Corridor Alliance and Flint River Watershed Coalition are also behind the project.
But funding for the multimillion-dollar replacement is still a huge obstacle, as it has been for years.
Montle said it’s too early to determine its cost, but past estimates have put a replacement at $5 million or more, according to Flint Journal files.
“If we had the money we could start on it this year,” Montle said. “I would hope that within two to three years we could get started.”
Flint resident Eli Campbell, 32, said he often walks by the river or sits by the dam to watch the fish.
“If they clean it up and fix it, maybe more people would come up here,” he said. “It looks really nasty right now. It’s dangerous, too.”
U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee’s office recently announced another $700,000 could be headed toward the dam for maintenance if the appropriations bill is approved by Congress.
“Hamilton Dam is desperately in need of repairs and maintenance,” Kildee said in a statement. “This funding will help shore up the dam, improving its usefulness as well as protecting public safety.”
In the meantime, the city is under several state mandates — including maintaining reduced flows to limit the total amount of water in the channel — designed to minimize the damage in the event of a dam failure.
In Montle’s office in Flint City Hall, a map of the Flint riverfront occupies much of the space on the wall facing his desk.A large swath of property neighboring the river from Longway Boulevard to Sunset Drive at Mott Park is highlighted.
“In all of that area, the Hamilton Dam is affecting all of that property,” he said. “Anytime you do anything with a dam, extreme care has to be taken.”
Robinson said he would like to see the dam repaired, instead of replaced, but understands it’s now a matter of public safety.
“I enjoy seeing it every time I come down here,” he said. “I’d hate to see it gone and tore down, but if they can’t save it, they can’t save it.”
Ryan Garza | The Flint JournalSolomn Mattic, of Flint, climbs off of the Hamilton Dam in downtown Flint while fishing on Tuesday. "I see chunks of rocks breaking off everyday and that's not good," said Mattic, who frequents the area to fish. The bridge above the dam has been closed to prevent people from crossing it. |
|
|
|
Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:51 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Council gave the Mayor a choice between Jones and Solis. I can't believe he let Solis go as he was the best person in City Hall.
Comments Feed
lndscpurbnsm July 23, 2010 at 7:48AM
Follow
How many times is the same story going to get recycled?
Also, pardon my ignorance on the details, but a couple questions...
1) Didn't City Council eliminate Steve Montle's "green city coordinator" position with their budget that went into effect on June 30th? I ask this, because I met with the mayor that day (one of my concerns being the 10 month Ward 7 Planning Commission vacancy) and was told it was David Solis's (former Director of Governmental Policy) last day and the loss of was going to cause to the major backlog of boards and commissions to get even worse and there was simply no way that he could foresee the planning commission appointment or any others getting resolved any time soon.
2)The mayor stated he was going to fund the administration that the council cut from other departments so why isn't Mr. Solis, still working? Wasn't one of Walling's biggest challenges to have citizens stand up, get to work, and start engaging our community? So why did he let the one guy responsible for coordinating/managing that effort go instead of funding him from a different department?
Maybe it's an issue of when they were appointed, but I doubt it. Where's the story on that? Where's the money coming from to fund the positions that weren't in the budget? |
|
|
|
Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:58 am |
|
|
twotap
F L I N T O I D
|
| Tear the damn dam down, throwing more dollars at it is a total waste. Remember how riverbank park was supposed to be flints salvation learn from the past folks. |
_________________
"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times. |
|
|
Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:59 am |
|
|
Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
|
Your shocked? This mayor has no common sense at all the guy needs to be recalled and soon!
quote:
untanglingwebs schreef:
Council gave the Mayor a choice between Jones and Solis. I can't believe he let Solis go as he was the best person in City Hall.
Comments Feed
lndscpurbnsm July 23, 2010 at 7:48AM
Follow
How many times is the same story going to get recycled?
Also, pardon my ignorance on the details, but a couple questions...
1) Didn't City Council eliminate Steve Montle's "green city coordinator" position with their budget that went into effect on June 30th? I ask this, because I met with the mayor that day (one of my concerns being the 10 month Ward 7 Planning Commission vacancy) and was told it was David Solis's (former Director of Governmental Policy) last day and the loss of was going to cause to the major backlog of boards and commissions to get even worse and there was simply no way that he could foresee the planning commission appointment or any others getting resolved any time soon.
2)The mayor stated he was going to fund the administration that the council cut from other departments so why isn't Mr. Solis, still working? Wasn't one of Walling's biggest challenges to have citizens stand up, get to work, and start engaging our community? So why did he let the one guy responsible for coordinating/managing that effort go instead of funding him from a different department?
Maybe it's an issue of when they were appointed, but I doubt it. Where's the story on that? Where's the money coming from to fund the positions that weren't in the budget?
|
_________________
Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
|
|
Fri Jul 23, 2010 10:05 am |
|
|
Gumby
F L I N T O I D
|
| First off, you meant
you're
not
your
... it is elementary grammar please use it correctly. Sorry, one of my pet peeves the there, their, and they're annoys me more. Secondly, how does Walling have no common sense and what is
your
reasoning for needing to be recalled? It is not that he is "terrorizing resident by laying off police officers" is it? I hope
you're
smarter than that Ryan. I know you were a big Don supporter, I hope it isn't just sour grapes from you on this. |
|
|
|
Fri Jul 23, 2010 10:58 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
The Flint Journal makes it sound like this plan is new and Wallings idea. Actually it came about as the work of a dedicated group of people, including Jeff Wright, who formed a committee to find a solution to this problerm. Note the studies were done in 2008.
Our Voice: Possibilities cascade for proposal to replace the old Hamilton Dam
Published: Sunday, August 01, 2010, 5:57 AM
Flint Journal staff
Follow Share this story
Story tools
Take a potentially dangerous eyesore, and turn it into a cascade for the Flint River.
That’s the preliminary plan for the 90-year-old Hamilton Dam in Flint.
We like it — a lot.
The old Hamilton Dam is decrepit, and falling apart. Folks who frequent it have said they regularly see chunks of concrete break away. State inspectors have it classified as a high hazard, with the potential for failing, and then flooding downtown. Only two of its six water-control gates still function.
That relic adjacent to the University of Michigan-Flint has got go, sooner rather than later.
On that, we are in complete agreement with the city of Flint, which owns the dam, and the groups working with the city on a replacement, the Flint River Corridor Alliance and the Flint River Watershed Coalition.
The trouble, as always in this cash-starved city and state, is money. Some estimates have the cost of replacing the dam at $5 million. The city has spent $600,000 on design, tests and engineering work.
So far, federal money has trickled toward that project, with another $700,000 proposed in Congress for maintenance funds for the dam that holds back water for the city’s water treatment plant — Genesee County’s backup supplier of water.
That crumbling dam, coupled with the plans to replace it with a series of pools and rocky cascades, can form a strong argument to stop throwing good money after bad to fix Hamilton Dam, and start working toward the solution.
The city is considering an excellent plan that we judge regional, state and federal agencies might be most interested in helping with expertise and money.
First and foremost, dam replacement would remove the hazard of a possible dam failure in the middle of a city. Perhaps just as important, though, the proposed cascades that would replace it would allow fish to move up and down the Flint River much more easily.
That could make it a fisheries project, an environmental effort and a recreational plan to enhance the Flint riverfront.
To get an idea of what may be in store for Flint, we look to Chesaning, where the Shiawassee River had been dammed for 150 years. Several years ago, the dam was replaced with a cascade. Now, salmon are seen migrating upstream of Chesaning; sturgeon may follow.
In Chesaning, the city got a $50,000 grant from the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network. That grant was responsible for giving the green light to other organizations that also poured money toward the effort.
Flint could do that too; we’re way upstream, but still a part of the Saginaw Bay Watershed. City officials and river boosters should seek an endorsement and money from that organization and others.
Get the state involved, too, with an argument that replacing Hamilton Dam with cascades and pools is better for the environment. State agencies pitched in to partially replace the old mill pond dam in Grayling with cascades to improve trout habitat there.
It may seem a stretch to argue for fish migration, and so environmental dollars, to come upriver through Flint. And granted, some obstacles to fish may have to be addressed downstream.
But still, isn’t a greener Flint River where we’re headed in town, now that Chevy in the Hole is empty of its former auto plants, and possibly destined to become an urban state park?
With some imagination and planning, this Hamilton Dam replacement might even tap into the tightly restricted state Natural Resources Trust Fund. That pot of gold, fed by royalties from oil and gas wells on state land, can be used only for recreational and natural resources projects.
A downtown Flint River cascade just might qualify.
A 2008 report proposing cascades to replace the dam said it would create an excellent site for whitewater canoeing and kayaking.
Imagine that.
A wild-river experience, right downtown. With a short walk to a nice restaurant, a meal and a toast with good friends afterward.
With a cascade of possibilities in store, we have a hard time pining for the old Hamilton Dam. |
|
|
|
Sun Aug 01, 2010 6:21 am |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Political Talk
