BECAUSE SILVER CREEK BELONGS TO US ALL.
WHY FREE SILVER CREEK MATTERS
The following information has been gathered through research and public documents that have been filed in order to provide factual information regarding the removal of the dam on Silver Creek.
Over the past three years, efforts have been made to remove this dangerous low head dam on Silver Creek. The removal of the dam has been approved by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It has been proven that the removal will not only make use of the creek safer, but also create a better environment for the fish population to thrive, not to mention improve use of the creek for recreational purposes.
While the entire process has been done openly and above board, with multiple studies that prove the benefits of removing this dam, the City of New Albany has been fighting this removal and most recently, after losing several appeals, has filed suit against River Heritage Conservancy forcing the organization to take on defense of a court action.
Unlike the City of New Albany, which has access to taxpayer funds, River Heritage Conservancy, as a non-profit organization, is focused on building a park and not on fighting a city that will actually benefit from the removal of the dam.
Until now, River Heritage Conservancy has tried everything within our means to provide every piece of information that answers questions, not only about reasons to remove the dam but the benefits it will have to the citizens that use Silver Creek and the wildlife that call it home.
Ø Has no historic significance, as claimed by the city.
Ø Low Head dams have been proven to be dangerous to humans and are being removed throughout the United States.
Ø The city has no ownership of Silver Creek.
Ø Fish and Wildlife populations have significantly improved after removing these dams.
Ø Removal would improve recreational opportunities.
For these reasons, we are providing a space for factual information about the removal of the dam that is available to all those living and working in the Southern Indiana area. Much of the information on this site can easily be found by simply using the search terms- Low Head Dams. Other information, such as scientific reports that have been conducted on the benefits of removing the dam, as well as the legal filings, are also publicly available.
It is the developers intent to provide the facts and let you have information from credible sources, to allow you to better understand the merits of this project.