East Park Low Head Dam No. 1 Mitigation

After the East Park Low Head Dam No. 1 was heavily damaged during a flooding event in 2014, WHKS prepared a preliminary design for a series of structural repairs.

Through the normal permitting process, the Iowa DNR did not to allow for the repair of the structure in its existing configuration because the dam did not allow for the upstream passage of fish. The project was further complicated by the fact that the original structure was on the National Historic Register. 

The City received a grant from the Iowa DNR Low Head Dam Mitigation program to mitigate Dam No. 1. WHKS designed a project to remove the remaining components of the existing dam and construct a series of rock riffles to maintain aesthetics and stream grade.