Authorization: Water Resources Development Act of 1996
(P.L. 104-303), Section 206, as amended.
Project Sponsor: City of Columbus, Department of Public
Utilities
Project Stakeholders: Ohio State University (OSU); Ohio
Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA); Ohio Department of Natural Resources
(ODNR); Crewing/Rowing Organizations; Friends of the Lower Olentangy River
(FLOW)
Project Location: 5th Avenue Dam is located in downtown
Columbus, Ohio on the Olentangy River.
Project Background: City of Columbus first expressed
interest in the project in 2002 and initiated a steering committee made up of
stakeholders to determine how best to accomplish the project. Funds in the
Section 206 program were not available to continue to feasibility once the draft
Preliminary Restoration Plan (PRP) was complete in 2004. Congressionally added
funds in FY 2006 allowed the project to move forward into feasibility. Draft
Environmental Assessment was circulated in August 2007 and final Detailed
Project Report (DPR) is expected to complete in March
2008.
Project Description: The feasibility study has evaluated
restoration alternatives for improving the aquatic ecosystem including removing
or modifying the 5th Avenue lowhead dam and including restoration work for the
stream such as the addition of natural stream features such as riffle and pool
sequences. The study addressed the change in the associated floodplain to
determine associated impacts with the change in the channel hydraulics.
