Letter: Clarifying the science behind Argo Dam debate
MLive.com - MI,USA
The fish community of the Huron River in Ypsilanti has 33 percent more species and 15 times as many fish as the dammed impoundment. ...
6/16/09
Mayor: Decision on Ann Arbor's Argo Dam unlikely to come in July
The Ann Arbor News - MLive.com - Ann Arbor,MI,USA
Located on the Huron River near Main Street around Depot Street, the Argo dam was originally built to produce hydropower. It now serves primarily as a ...
The Ann Arbor News - MLive.com - Ann Arbor,MI,USA
Located on the Huron River near Main Street around Depot Street, the Argo dam was originally built to produce hydropower. It now serves primarily as a ...
6/15/09
30 Kayakers Gather at the Huron River for Paddling Exhibition
Ann Arbor, MI – June 13, 2009 – Members of Lower Michigan’s community of whitewater kayakers gathered at the Huron River on Saturday to paddle the free-flowing waters of the Huron River between the Delhi Metropark and the bridge crossing near the intersection of Huron River Drive and Tubbs Road. The demonstration was intended to raise awareness of the Huron River’s value to whitewater kayakers and to highlight the potential for new whitewater resources in the event that Ann Arbor’s Argo Dam is removed.
Whitewater kayakers have been using the Huron River to train, practice, and teach the basics of the sport for over 40 years. The local kayaking group—the Raw Strength & Courage Kayakers (RSCK), a part of the U of M’s Rec Sports program—introduces 200 new individuals to the sport of kayaking each year. Winter training takes place in the pool at the North Campus Recreation Building and includes both students and community members. Spring is the season of introducing new paddlers to the flowing waters of the Huron River, while summer and fall are months where paddlers drive hundreds of miles to enjoy the free-flowing rivers of Western Pennsylvania and beyond. Kayaking groups that use the Huron River exist in Ypsilanti, Rochester, Lansing, Flint, Windsor, and Toledo.
According to former RSCK President and U of M student, Bryan Toth, “Paddlers all over Michigan would happily flock to a single, high-quality whitewater feature.” The potential to create a whitewater feature such as a standing wave or hydraulic could exist if Argo Dam is removed. Argo Pond occurs along one of the steepest drops of the entire Huron River watershed. The projected 30 acres of parkland the City of Ann Arbor hopes to gain would allow for greater access to the river, as well as a forum for whitewater kayakers to demonstrate their sport to the public.
Whitewater kayakers have been using the Huron River to train, practice, and teach the basics of the sport for over 40 years. The local kayaking group—the Raw Strength & Courage Kayakers (RSCK), a part of the U of M’s Rec Sports program—introduces 200 new individuals to the sport of kayaking each year. Winter training takes place in the pool at the North Campus Recreation Building and includes both students and community members. Spring is the season of introducing new paddlers to the flowing waters of the Huron River, while summer and fall are months where paddlers drive hundreds of miles to enjoy the free-flowing rivers of Western Pennsylvania and beyond. Kayaking groups that use the Huron River exist in Ypsilanti, Rochester, Lansing, Flint, Windsor, and Toledo.
According to former RSCK President and U of M student, Bryan Toth, “Paddlers all over Michigan would happily flock to a single, high-quality whitewater feature.” The potential to create a whitewater feature such as a standing wave or hydraulic could exist if Argo Dam is removed. Argo Pond occurs along one of the steepest drops of the entire Huron River watershed. The projected 30 acres of parkland the City of Ann Arbor hopes to gain would allow for greater access to the river, as well as a forum for whitewater kayakers to demonstrate their sport to the public.
Toth has paddled engineered whitewater parks on Western Rivers like the Arkansas River in Salida, Colorado. The Salida Whitewater Park is the result of a partnership between the City of Salida and the Arkansas River Trust. Similar collaborations to create new whitewater resources exist in Rochester, New York; Wassau, Wisconsin; Des Moines, Iowa; and South Bend, Indiana.
Whitewater kayaking is a tradition on the Huron River in Ann Arbor. Removing Argo Dam could create a unique new recreational resource in the form of aesthetically-pleasing whitewater features.
For more pictures of the event, CLICK HERE
6/12/09
Free-flowing Huron provides opportunities for whitewater paddlers
Come to the Huron River, west of Ann Arbor, for an opportunity to learn more about Ann Arbor's community of whitewater kayakers. Paddlers will be meeting tomorrow (Saturday, June 13) at 11:00 am at the Dehli Metropark to demonstrate the concept of "park-and-play" kayaking--an opportunity that could exist in downtown Ann Arbor if Argo Dam is removed.
Community and student leaders of the Raw Strength & Courage Kayakers (a program of the U of M Rec Sports department) will be on site to answer questions about use of the river, access needs, paddlers' economic impact, gear, and more. There will even be a tandem whitewater kayak available if visitors would like to try kayaking the Delhi Rapids with an experienced paddler at the helm (dress accordingly if you're interested)!
This will be a fun, casual gathering you won't want to miss. On behalf of all kayakers who use the Huron River, thank you for your consideration of spending a Saturday with us.
6/5/09
Letter: Watershed Council isn't hysterical in concern over Argo Dam
MLive.com - MI,USA
by Eunice Burns | Ann Arbor I'm writing to explain the Huron River Watershed Council's statement that Argo Dam is failing, and to respond to the criticism. ...
MLive.com - MI,USA
by Eunice Burns | Ann Arbor I'm writing to explain the Huron River Watershed Council's statement that Argo Dam is failing, and to respond to the criticism. ...
WEMU 89.1 - First Friday Focus on the Environment
David Fair; Lisa Wozniak
YPSILANTI, MI 2009-06-05 Listen to this month's First Friday Focus on the Environment from WEMU, featuring the Executive Director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Lisa Wozniak, and special guests, the Executive Director of the Huron River Watershed Council, Laura Rubin, and Russ Miller, a member of the Ann Arbor Rowers Club. This month, the focus is on the debate between those who want the Argo dam in Ann Arbor removed to create more park land, and those who want it maintained for recreation.
LISTEN (mp3)
David Fair; Lisa Wozniak
YPSILANTI, MI 2009-06-05 Listen to this month's First Friday Focus on the Environment from WEMU, featuring the Executive Director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Lisa Wozniak, and special guests, the Executive Director of the Huron River Watershed Council, Laura Rubin, and Russ Miller, a member of the Ann Arbor Rowers Club. This month, the focus is on the debate between those who want the Argo dam in Ann Arbor removed to create more park land, and those who want it maintained for recreation.
LISTEN (mp3)
Argo Dam issue making waves
The Detroit News - Detroit,MI,USAWhen Jonathan Lutz looks at Argo Pond, he sees it for what it isn't: A steep, free-flowing stretch of the Huron River where anglers take on wild smallmouth ...
The Detroit News - Detroit,MI,USAWhen Jonathan Lutz looks at Argo Pond, he sees it for what it isn't: A steep, free-flowing stretch of the Huron River where anglers take on wild smallmouth ...
6/3/09
A River Wild Or Tamed?
A Huron River Watershed Council report from earlier this decade argues that the Argo Dam alters the river's flow more than the city's other three dams. It advocates removing the dam to improve the river's health. ...
Concentrate - Features - http://concentratemedia.com/
A Huron River Watershed Council report from earlier this decade argues that the Argo Dam alters the river's flow more than the city's other three dams. It advocates removing the dam to improve the river's health. ...
Concentrate - Features - http://concentratemedia.com/
The Huron River needs your help TODAY
Dear Fellow Paddlers & Friends,
The Huron River needs your help today. Please take a moment to help us improve the Huron by advocating for the removal of Argo Dam - thus restoring a six-mile stretch of the river and uncovering 30 acres of new park land. The restoration will make for portage-free paddling from Barton to Geddes Dam, and will create new seasonal whitewater resources in downtown Ann Arbor. It will only take a moment. Follow this link and scroll the bottom of the page: http://www.a2gov.org/government/citycouncil/Pages/Home.aspx. Copy and paste the sample letter at the bottom of this message and include your name, address, and phone number.
If you are not a city resident, you can still write on behalf of improving the ecology and adding new recreational opportunities to the Huron River. Many of us drive from Lansing, Flint, Battle Creek, Windsor, and even Toledo to enjoy the existing whitewater the Huron has to offer. Each and every paddler's voice is important. For more information about why Argo Dam is a detriment to the health of the Huron River, visit http://www.restorethehuron.org.
Each year, the RSCK program at the U of M introduces 200 new people to the sport of kayaking. Kayak clubs in Lansing and Ypsilanti are also integral to bringing new paddlers to the river. Whitewater kayaking has been a tradition on the Huron River for over 40 years. Now we have the opportunity to create new whitewater features for teaching, training, and playboating, while improving the ecology of the river and providing an economic benefit to the Ann Arbor community.
Other groups supporting dam removal include: Huron River Watershed Council, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Ann Arbor Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Washtenaw Audubon Society, American Rivers, and the Huron River Fly Fishing Club.
Thank you for your support! Please pass this email along to any contacts you have who would be in support of this effort.
See you on the river!
Copy, paste, and send the sample letter below using this link: http://www.a2gov.org/government/citycouncil/Pages/Home.aspx.
Scroll to the bottom of the page for the link to email the city council and Mayor in one message.
Dear City Leaders and friends of the Huron River,
Please vote to restore a free-flowing section of the Huron River by removing Argo Dam. Removing the dam will improve the river's ecology and expand the recreational opportunities available to Ann Arbor's residents and visitors. A free-flowing river will have improved biodiversity, making Ann Arbor's urban river a haven for wildlife, both terrestrial and aquatic. Activities that are popular on upstream portions of the Huron River, including fly-fishing and whitewater kayaking, will flourish in downtown Ann Arbor if the dam is removed. Fishermen and kayakers, along with joggers, bird watchers, and day-users of the 30 acres of new park land will provide an economic boost to the city. Many state agencies support removing the dam, and I hope the Ann Arbor city leadership will agree that an Argo-free Huron River will be a remarkable and positive change for the city, the river, and those who enjoy it.
Respectfully,
(Name, address and phone number)
The Huron River needs your help today. Please take a moment to help us improve the Huron by advocating for the removal of Argo Dam - thus restoring a six-mile stretch of the river and uncovering 30 acres of new park land. The restoration will make for portage-free paddling from Barton to Geddes Dam, and will create new seasonal whitewater resources in downtown Ann Arbor. It will only take a moment. Follow this link and scroll the bottom of the page: http://www.a2gov.org/government/citycouncil/Pages/Home.aspx. Copy and paste the sample letter at the bottom of this message and include your name, address, and phone number.
If you are not a city resident, you can still write on behalf of improving the ecology and adding new recreational opportunities to the Huron River. Many of us drive from Lansing, Flint, Battle Creek, Windsor, and even Toledo to enjoy the existing whitewater the Huron has to offer. Each and every paddler's voice is important. For more information about why Argo Dam is a detriment to the health of the Huron River, visit http://www.restorethehuron.org.
Each year, the RSCK program at the U of M introduces 200 new people to the sport of kayaking. Kayak clubs in Lansing and Ypsilanti are also integral to bringing new paddlers to the river. Whitewater kayaking has been a tradition on the Huron River for over 40 years. Now we have the opportunity to create new whitewater features for teaching, training, and playboating, while improving the ecology of the river and providing an economic benefit to the Ann Arbor community.
Other groups supporting dam removal include: Huron River Watershed Council, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Ann Arbor Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Washtenaw Audubon Society, American Rivers, and the Huron River Fly Fishing Club.
Thank you for your support! Please pass this email along to any contacts you have who would be in support of this effort.
See you on the river!
Copy, paste, and send the sample letter below using this link: http://www.a2gov.org/government/citycouncil/Pages/Home.aspx.
Scroll to the bottom of the page for the link to email the city council and Mayor in one message.
Dear City Leaders and friends of the Huron River,
Please vote to restore a free-flowing section of the Huron River by removing Argo Dam. Removing the dam will improve the river's ecology and expand the recreational opportunities available to Ann Arbor's residents and visitors. A free-flowing river will have improved biodiversity, making Ann Arbor's urban river a haven for wildlife, both terrestrial and aquatic. Activities that are popular on upstream portions of the Huron River, including fly-fishing and whitewater kayaking, will flourish in downtown Ann Arbor if the dam is removed. Fishermen and kayakers, along with joggers, bird watchers, and day-users of the 30 acres of new park land will provide an economic boost to the city. Many state agencies support removing the dam, and I hope the Ann Arbor city leadership will agree that an Argo-free Huron River will be a remarkable and positive change for the city, the river, and those who enjoy it.
Respectfully,
(Name, address and phone number)
Council plans Argo work session, June 15
From the Ann Arbor Chronicle (FULL STORY)
"Argo Dam
In communications from the administration, Jayne Miller, the city’s community services director, announced that on June 15, the council’s regular meeting would be preceded by a work session on the Argo Dam question. The work session is scheduled to last from 6-7 p.m. Leigh Greden (Ward 3) noted that their questions could take the council well past 7 p.m. Miller said that such questions could also be addressed in the time period between June 15 and the public hearing on the matter, which is scheduled for July 6."
"Argo Dam
In communications from the administration, Jayne Miller, the city’s community services director, announced that on June 15, the council’s regular meeting would be preceded by a work session on the Argo Dam question. The work session is scheduled to last from 6-7 p.m. Leigh Greden (Ward 3) noted that their questions could take the council well past 7 p.m. Miller said that such questions could also be addressed in the time period between June 15 and the public hearing on the matter, which is scheduled for July 6."
6/1/09
Argo Dam discussed at Sunday caucus, 5/31
From the Ann Arbor Chronicle (Full Story):
"Rampton told the council members in attendance at the caucus that it would mean a lot to the rowing community if it had definite information that they were in fact going to be moved to a different location. Councilmember Marcia Higgins asked when the dam issue was going to come before council. Hieftje indicated that would be in mid-July. Rampton also wanted to know how the pond as a body of water counted versus the river as a body of water. She asked how council could quantify the beauty of the pond. Hieftje indicated that he had considerable personal experience walking and kayaking along that stretch of the Huron River."
"Rampton told the council members in attendance at the caucus that it would mean a lot to the rowing community if it had definite information that they were in fact going to be moved to a different location. Councilmember Marcia Higgins asked when the dam issue was going to come before council. Hieftje indicated that would be in mid-July. Rampton also wanted to know how the pond as a body of water counted versus the river as a body of water. She asked how council could quantify the beauty of the pond. Hieftje indicated that he had considerable personal experience walking and kayaking along that stretch of the Huron River."
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