INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (KCRG) – There is hope to rebuild the low-water levees in Independence, but it could be a long time before anything happens.

The city of Independence has low-water dams at two locations along the Wapsi River, one near 1st Street East. There are also a series of double dams further downstream near Oakwood Cemetery.

“So the water comes down,” said Independence Fire Chief Blake Hayward. “And then you kind of get a washout effect. There’s a boiling point. Every time they pass that boiling point, they get pulled into the dam, get stuck there, and can’t get out.”

The Independence Fire Department has conducted several rescues near Mill Dam this year. In 2007, a RAGBRAI rider was killed in the reverse current of the twin dams.

These dams are low-water dams that create strong backflows that are difficult to escape.

Hayward said it would be nice if something was done at the dams to reduce the risk of drowning.

“You can put up as many signs as you want, but sometimes people just don’t understand or don’t notice. Hydraulics doesn’t care who you are or what it is, hydraulics always moves things,” Hayward said.

The fire department has special equipment for water rescues, but the dams can make rescue operations difficult and risky for rescue workers.

“It takes a while to get our equipment rolled out, our raft filled, our crews outfitted with life jackets and so on, and then we get out there. It’s just a time factor and sometimes time is of the essence,” Hayward said.

Hayward says he would like to see the dams rebuilt to make them safer.

“If there’s a way to mitigate that undercurrent a little bit. If there’s a way to incorporate whitewater parks, something that would provide more recreational opportunities to Independence, we’d love to see that,” Hayward said.

However, reconstruction of these dams is very costly and could be the reason why any changes are postponed.

TV9 reached out to Independence City Manager Matthew Schmitz to inquire about the possibility of modifying the levees.

Schmitz replied: “I have to say that in the year and a half that I have been here, to my knowledge there has been no discussion about demolishing these dams. I suspect this was mainly due to concerns about financing, etc.”

In 2014, the Quasqueton Dam was converted into rock arch rapids. This project cost more than $400,000.

Nate Hoogeveen, director of river programs for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said these projects can cost several hundred thousand dollars. He said most are in the $200,000 to $800,000 range. The most expensive project so far costs more than $50 million, but that’s an outlier in Des Moines.

“We’re trying to prioritize how the funds are spent on city projects, water projects, city infrastructure and much more,” Hayward said. “I’m sure that keeps getting pushed aside, and rightly so.”

So if there are any changes to the dam, it could take a while.

“All of this costs money, and there is simply never enough of it in circulation,” Hayward said.

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