By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Goodrich — The Village of Goodrich was one of 22 Michigan communities with dams that will receive grant funding to help reduce risks and protect residents.
On Monday night the village council voted 5-0 to accept the grant following an extensive application process.
The funding is through the Dam Risk Reduction Grant Program (DRRGP) as authorized by the Michigan Legislature. The program was created after four Midland area dams failed in 2020, causing billions of dollars in damages. A total of $14 million in funding was earmarked for state dams.
The village received a $180,000 grant with a 10% ($20,000) match for a feasibility study for the Goodrich Dam on Kearsley Creek. The century old dam has become a financial burden for the village due to its deteriorating condition and concern for long-term management.
“This is the first step we have to take for us to do anything with the dam,” said Keith Walworth, village president. “It’s necessary to do a feasibility study to determine the current state of the dam.”
The study is proposed to investigate options and provide a final deliverable three alternatives: repair, replace, or remove. Included will be concrete coring, soil boring and dive inspections of existing dam along with spillway evaluation, geotechnical and hydrology investigations.
“They are going to give us options in the end,” said Walworth.
The feasibility study will provide the framework for future grants for repair, replacement or removal, said Walworth.
“Depending on the findings, the state wants a long term plan,” he said.
Michigan Dams are inspected at least once every three years for high hazard potential dams, once every four years for significant hazard dams, and once every five years for low hazard potential.
In December 2016 Lucas Trumble, dam safety engineer of the MDEQ dam safety unit, completed the inspection. The dam was then inspected and passed in May 2020. It was reported the Goodrich dam significant hazard rating has nothing to do with condition, rather based on the downstream impact if the dam were to fail. The rating is not based on the likelihood of failure. The bus garage and a few homes downstream on the Kearsley Creek could be impacted.
Dating back to 2000 the dam has undergone many significant repairs.
In September 2008, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality completed a extensive site report of the 100 year old dam.
The report suggested the village conduct a complete study on the long term costs of dam repair, as well as a dam removal or replacement study to put forth a proposed plan of action. The report also cites that the structural elements of the dam continue to deteriorate indicating the Goodrich Dam has a significant hazard potential due in part from the amount of structures and residents downstream from the dam.
In June 2014 workers discovered an artesian well from which water flows under natural pressure without pumping when they were digging under the west side of the embankment.
That time the MDEQ inspected the dam and required some significant repairs to the structure.
Then only three of the five wooden flood gates, which move up and down to regulate the amount of water and the level of the mill pond, were operational. Two of the gates remained stationary.
The state inspector required the village to remove the two stationary gates and replace with movable gates.
In the event of a flood or other natural disaster, the Atlas Township Fire Department has procedures to follow.
In January 2020, a potential issue with the operating gates and dam structure was reported.
An area beside and behind the west water gate had a constant stream of water spraying on the downstream side, as well as behind the gate. Midland-based Fisher Contracting, who assisted the village in completing the mill pond dam repair work in 2015 was contacted by Wade Trim. The team recommended, a dive team for further inspection and complete temporary repairs until a more permanent fix can be determined. The second option for the village was to lower the mill pond to allow for direct access and visual inspection of the operating gates and structure currently submerged. The estimated cost of the inspection and repairs was $3,875.