Residents Split on Removal of Paint Creek Dam

About 50 people attending a public hearing at Oakland Township Hall on Thursday night voiced support and opposition to a proposal to remove the Paint Creek dam.

The hearing, held by the Water Resources Division of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, was for public comments about the Clinton River Watershed Council’s application to and dredge and fill in the creek and adjacent 100-year-floodplain "for the purpose of improving aquatic and riparian habitat."

Members of the Watershed Council, MDEQ and consultants Hubbel, Roth and Clark, were available during a pre-hearing open-house to answer questions about the project.

Those who don't want the dam removed expressed concerns over water levels, quality of life, spending more government money, future township expenditures, environmental changes and historic preservation.

Township resident Jan Olson lives along the millrace, which is a main issue for both historic preservationists and property owners who believe it will dry up if the dam is removed.

"I'm sad to see this has even come up," she said. "It’s disheartening.”

The dam removal project would be paid for by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. Some iexpressed uneasiness about spending money the U.S. government "doesn’t have” and argued that all grants should be refused to help keep the nation’s deficit down.

Supporters of the dam's removal expressed concern over the creek's trout population, as well as the safety of a 57-old dam.

John Sabina of Washington Township asked the MDEQ to consider the bigger picture. He discussed how the dam is hurting the trout population in the Paint Creek, which is the only designated trout stream in Oakland County, a fact, he remarked, that was “kind of amazing when you consider all of the development we have here — to still have a viable trout stream is pretty much unheard of.”

Sabina explained that trout need cold water to survive and thrive.

“What a dam does,” he said, “is first of all slows down the flow, it spreads the water out, it naturally accumulates silt ... it’s dark in color. What color do you suppose absorbs more sunlight and warms up water more? Black, dark brown, any dark color ... it’s not a good thing.”

Dan Keifer, a member of the Watershed Council, cited concerns over the dam's berm and surrounding earth, explaining that it’s far better to have a planned and coordinated removal of the dam rather than let Mother Nature remove it, which could cost millions of dollars in property damage and cleanup.

The public has until Sept. 5 to submit comments about the proposal to remove the dam. Comments can be mailed to: Pat Durack, DEQ-WRD, 27700 Donald Ct., Warren, MI 48092