The Friends of the Forestville Dam group has filed a Notice of Claim/Notice of Circumstances against in an attempt to stop a continued drawdown. Several reasons are cited, including procedural ones such as improper monitoring by the county. The organization says that even with the dam valve fully opened since November, the millpond is not draining. Christine Reid points to the heavy rain this week, which had water cresting overtop the dam by more than a foot.

The Friends group worries that invasive species such as lamprey eels are moving upstream into the millpond through the open valve. They say other negatives include polluted sediment traveling through the Ahnapee River system until it empties into Lake Michigan and the destruction of the millpond’s wildlife. Group President Robert Sijgers points out that herons and kingfishers used to be a common sight near the dam, but no more since the fishing population has dwindled. It wants to compel the county to end the project and commit to the dam’s future, including having a written agreement from local government officials to conduct necessary maintenance. The Door County Facilities and Parks Department did not provide any comment on the matter.

Photo courtesy of the Friends of Forestville Dam Facebook page from May 21st.