(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Nine dams on the Fox River in Kane County could be gone in seven years. Some have said the move would save millions of dollars, but even proponents of removing the dams have acknowledged the changes would present other challenges.
The Fox River Study Group is a 20-year-old organization dedicated to, among other things, cleaning up the river. Its chair, Cindy Skrukrud, said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' plan to remove the nine dams would save communities $145 million.
“That's the estimate of what local taxpayers would have to spend on super expensive wastewater treatment improvements versus the lower, one-time cost of dam removal,” she said.
Removing the dams would create a safer environment for fishers and people who like to paddle on the river.
She acknowledged, though, that with the removal of some of the dams, that would adversely affect some popular recreational activities, like powerboating. Skrukrud said some communities have other issues with dam removal, such as Elgin, where residents would see their water intake altered.
The official public comment period is just ending. If the plan goes through, the Corps of Engineers estimates the dams would be removed by 2030.
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