St. Charles Dam, 2024, photo by Al Watts.
The design of each of the cities of St. Charles, Geneva, and Batavia is linked directly to the river. Properties, roads, bridges, and access to the river were all created according to the shape of the river after dams were first built to power mills in the 1830s. If the dams are removed, would the history of these cities be more difficult to understand? Are there benefits to dam removal that might outweigh the impact on this history?
According to the Army Corps of Engineers and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, dam removal would improve water quality, restore wildlife habitat, decrease flood risk, and increase safety.[1] Also, looking at a longer view of history, removing the dams will bring the river closer to how it was for thousands of years before the dams.
The impact to the historic sites and structures along the Fox River in the Tri-Cities is yet unknown. Federal and state law requires that any “adverse effect” on a historic building or landscape from a federal or state project be reviewed and mitigated to the greatest extent possible.[2] As a voice for historic preservation in the Fox Valley, we are engaging the dam removal issue from the perspective of historical impact. Our objective is for the impact on history to be one of the factors considered during discussions about dam removal.
Geneva Dam, 2024, photo by Al Watts.
Recently, we requested to be a “consulting party” with the Army Corps of Engineers on the dam removals of St. Charles, Geneva, and Batavia. “Consulting party status entitles the participant to share their views, receive and review pertinent information, offer ideas, and consider possible solutions together” with the federal agency involved in a project.[3]
After submitting our request, we learned that the process of evaluating impact to historic structures had already been completed. This evaluation is undertaken by the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office (ILSHPO) in accordance with “Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) [which] requires federal agencies to consider the effects on historic properties of projects they carry out, assist, fund, permit, license, or approve throughout the country.”[4] As we delved deeper into this issue we discovered that the ILSHPO assessment may have been based on incomplete information. The Army Corps of Engineers and ILSHPO have agreed to review additional information we are sending to them in the coming weeks.
Batavia Dam, 2024, photo by Al Watts.
Understanding the potential effects on historic structures and sites along the Fox River, if any, and what is planned for the mitigation of them is crucial information to consider with dam removal. Because of the importance of the dams to the future of the Tri-Cities, each municipality can benefit from as much information as possible. We plan to attend public hearings, be a voice for having history be a factor in actions regarding the dams and answer questions about local history or historic preservation communities have.
Our role in historic preservation for the Fox Valley is to educate and serve as a resource. Educating and encouraging stakeholders to consider the potential impact dam removal may have on historic structures and sites, as well as educating the public, will be important in driving decisions to a result that minimizes harm to, or loss of, our history.
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[1] U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Chicago District, “Fox River Connectivity and Habitat Study,” National Environmental Policy Act Public Meetings, September 18-20, 2023, pdf.
[2] See the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, at https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/historic-preservation/historic-preservation-policy-tools/legislation-policy-and-reports/section-106-of-the-national-historic-preservation-act and the Illinois State Agency Historic Resources Preservation Act as amended in 2002 at https://dnrhistoric.illinois.gov/preserve/laws.html.
[3] “Section 106 Participants: Roles and Responsibilities,” Environmental Review Toolkit, Federal Highway Administration, accessed February 11, 2024, https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/env_topics/section_106_tutorial/chapter2_3.aspx.
[4] “An Introduction to Section 106,” Introduction, Section 106 Review Process, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, accessed April 11, 2024, https://www.achp.gov/protecting-historic-properties/section-106-process/introduction-section-106.