The Linn County Conservation Board will be holding an open house to share preliminary project concepts of a future modification project for the Pinicon Ridge Park Dam and to receive public input. The dam, located on the Wapsipinicon River just east of Highway 13 in Central City, has surpassed its expected 50-year life and long-term solutions are being considered.
Initiatives to modify low-head dams have been taking place throughout Iowa to not only improve the water quality of rivers and streams, but to improve safety, increase the environmental health and population of aquatic life in the river, and to provide recreational opportunities. The Linn County Conservation Board, with all these goals in mind, has been studying the issue for several years. A similar input session was held in 2017 where the public provided their outlook on the dam and its future for the region.
The open house is scheduled for Tuesday, March 24 at the Falcon Civic Center, 137 Fourth St. N in Central City from 5:30 - 7 p.m. There will be no formal presentation. Those who attend will be able to view preliminary project concepts and visit with staff from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WHKS Engineering, and the Linn County Conservation Board.