Residents near the Peery's Mill Dam in Tennessee are rejoicing after plans to remove the barrier from the river were announced.
The Army Corps of Engineers in Nashville recently confirmed it would remove the low-head dam on the Little River, according to WVLT.
Low-head dams are known to be hazardous because they create a recirculating current downstream. This current can trap people and debris, leading to accidents and fatalities.
Locals are relieved that the Peery's Mill Dam, which has claimed four lives over the past 20 years, will no longer pose a danger.
"I had to be rescued by the [Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency]," Tony Copeland, who was once caught in a current near the dam, told WVLT. "There have been so many people that have drowned there and I think it needs to go," he added.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams explained that many low-head dams have "outlived their initial purpose" and their original owners, and noted that nearly 800 fatalities have been linked with the obsolete structures.
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"For this reason, low-head dams have also been called 'drowning machines,'" the Army Corps acknowledged.
Moreover, the barriers impede the local ecosystem from thriving. The Army Corps also stated that dam removal was necessary to restore the river and protect endangered aquatic wildlife.
Outdated dams withhold nutrients from native wildlife and prevent fish from migrating. Removal projects across the country have yielded promising results, with animal populations rebounding.
This is a critical means for bolstering freshwater fish, which are facing major declines worldwide due to human-made dams. Without these species, we risk losing a significant food source and disrupting aquatic ecosystems.
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$200 or more 💰 The Peery's Mill Dam removal is promising for both environmental restoration and the livelihoods of local residents. As officials continue to take down problematic low-head dams, animals and humans benefit.
While there is no official timeline for removal, the Army Corps said it is exploring the best ways to deconstruct the Tennessee dam moving forward.
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