The Barren River flows past Barren River Lock and Dam No. 1 in Greencastle, Ky., on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, as officials from The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service work on plans to soon remove the dam due to a scour hole that has formed underneath the dam from erosion, threatening the stability of the dam's foundation. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com)

This week, Barren River Lock and Dam No. 1 officially became the latest in a series of regional dam removals.

The pattern began in 2017 with the removal of Green River Lock and Dam No. 6, whose uncontrolled failure had been posing safety threats. It continued more recently with efforts to remove Green River Lock and Dam No. 5, but that project has now been temporarily halted while project partners figure out how to maintain a steady water supply for the Edmonson County Water District.

Over time, erosion caused a scour hole to form underneath Barren River Lock and Dam No. 1. This has threatened the stability of the dam’s foundation and pushed it into “an active state of failure,” said David Phemister, state director of The Nature Conservancy.

The Nature Conservancy is working alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete the project.

The goal of removal is to alleviate the safety concerns of dam failure, in addition to freeing the river up for boat traffic and improving aquatic life health.

Removing structures like dams allows fish and mussels to migrate upstream or downstream into healthier, historic habitats, said Allan Brown, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service southeast region assistant regional director for fish and aquatic conservation.

Phemister said increased oxygen levels and reduced sediment accumulation will also help wildlife thrive.

“It’s restoring the river to its natural state,” Phemister said.

The goal is to have all three phases of removal – site preparation, demolition and stabilization – finished by fall 2023, said Chris Wernick, project manager for the Corps of Engineers.

The dam itself may be gone as soon as mid-October. Any project-related safety concerns should be confined to the actual work site.

Bowling Green Municipal Utilities didn’t respond to a request for comment, but Wernick said BGMU hasn’t raised any concerns.

The Corps of Engineers had crews out this week checking that the pool drop won’t adversely impact the performance of BGMU’s water intakes.

A pair of public reviews didn’t bring additional concerns to light, Wernick said.

In 2016, Congress passed the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, a law deauthorizing Green River lock and dams nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6, in addition to Barren River Lock and Dam No. 1.

This instructed removal of these dams at the “earliest feasible time.”

This legislation allows Green River Lock and Dam No. 4, which failed decades ago, to eventually be removed when the Corps of Engineers decides to do so, Wernick said. In contrast, Green River Lock and Dam No. 3 is in good shape after renovation and maintenance by the Rochester Dam Regional Water Commission and isn’t scheduled to be removed.

The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act’s lack of guidance on law implementation led to confusion surrounding who had the authority to remove Barren River Lock and Dam No. 1, Wernick said.

In 2018, another law, America’s Water Infrastructure Act, amended the 2016 law to clarify that the Corps of Engineers was in charge of removing locks and dams in the Green and Barren rivers if deemed necessary.

After dam removal, the Corps of Engineers will turn ownership over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The dam has historically been a barrier to outdoor recreation, Phemister said, but after the dust settles, the free-flowing river may attract more visitors and economic activity.

“A healthier river for wildlife is a healthier river for people,” he said.

– Follow regional reporter Sarah Michels on Twitter @sarah_michels13 or visit bgdailynews.com.