Cullowhee Dam more likely to be repaired than removed

The Cullowhee Dam has not yet been renovated, despite plans for repairs scheduled for August of last year. Western Carolina University still plans to work on structurally repairing the dam, as it is years overdue and has shown signs of erosion.

WCU Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Mike Byers explained the project date was moved when they realized that the university could get a grant to help pay for it. 

To fund the dam’s renovation, WCU applied for a national economic grant of an estimated $1.5 million from the Economic Development Administration. The university had budgeted $900,000 for the work in 2019 and knew it would not be enough. 

“Due to inflation, the price has risen substantially, requiring a larger government funded grant. The grant request is currently pending, but likely to be approved,” Byers said.

The dam is not considered an imminent threat, but if funding is not granted, the dam will eventually deteriorate. Should the dam fail, it would not cause notable damage with flooding considering that it is only seven feet high. For the university and Jackson County the main concern is ensuring continued water intake.

There is also the possibility for the dam to be removed, but as of right now, the plan remains to follow through with repairs. Should they find it more beneficial to have the dam removed, they will, Byers said. However, EDA’s grant will not fund the removal. 

“If you look at the dam now, you can see that we have a board across the top that adds 12 inches to the dam height and so what we hope to do is replace that with a taller board that can have a notch in it. In one spot sort of to river right side, we want to create a notch by building up everywhere else, and then that gives us the opportunity to create a chute for a river park,” Byers said.

The county has purchased the property along the river from the dam to the bridge and has expressed they are willing to have a park along the property, should maintenance on the dam be done.

Studies done by the nonprofit American Rivers have shown that removing the dam is best for the ecology of the river. The company WCU used as consultant, McGill & Associates, in their study suggested that water intake for the water supply for TWSA and WCU could continue without the dam, with a “run of the river” system. 

No studies currently prove that this system would work if the dam were removed, and it is uncertain if this method would comply with state water treatment regulations. Currently, American Rivers contracted KCI Associates of North Carolina to do another study for more conclusive answers.

 “We have many questions that were unanswered by that (the previous) study,” Byers said. “We couldn’t get anyone who could certify for us that changing the water intake method wouldn’t change the water treatment requirements by the state. Right now, when we collect the water, it’s nice and settled water. It doesn’t have high sedimentation. But in a ‘run of the river,’ we’re gonna get gravel.”

As of now, should the university receive the $1.5 million grant, the plan is repair over remove. 

When asked how confident he is in the timeline for repairs, Byers responded, “Not at all.”