Goodrich – A hollow under the Goodrich Dam has Village Councilman Pete Morey scrambling as fast as he can to get it fixed.
‘We want to close the gates before the cows get out,? said Morey, following an examination of the dam.
The void, he said, was found by the village DPW crew, who checks the dam daily. He said they noticed a spray in the water under the bridge which could indicate a void. As they searched, they found the void by the fish ladder which is causing too much water to accumulate under the dam spillway.
If not fixed, Morey said the excess water could wash out the dam, causing very expensive property damage or even worse, unleash an unexpected wave.
‘People have to realize that water has done more damage than any other natural disaster we face,? he said. ‘When water moves, you can’t stop it and there isn’t a lot of warning. We would not be able to stop a big wave.?
In a report from the state regarding the village dam, Morey said the momentum from such a wave would cause tremendous property damage and even the possibility of injuries and loss of life.
All of the lakes from Ortonville feed into the 92 year-old Goodrich Dam, which means harnessing the water along Kearsley Creek is a priority for the DPW.
Walter Toebe Construction Company, 29001 Wall St. in Wixom, will do the repair work. They are the same company working on the new bridge and Morey said they are the biggest bridge construction and dam repair company in the state. The quote given to the village is $8,439 to complete the job.
‘Toebe’s will need to seal off the void by pumping concrete into the two-and-a-half inch holes they drill at the void and then sink steel poles into them. It’s called ‘mudjacking,?? said Morey.
The responsibility of maintaining a dam is a big one.
‘The water is released through the floodgates at a regular pace so it doesn’t overflow the rivers below the dams. The whole idea is for the lakes behind the dams to never overflow,? said Morey.