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Atkisson Dam in Harford County, Maryland, was constructed in 1942 to provide water supply to Edgewood Arsenal, now known as Aberdeen Proving Ground. It was named after U.S. Army Col. E.J. Atkisson, commander of the First Gas Regiment during World War I and commander of Edgewood Arsenal from 1920 to 1923. Even in the development of the project in the 1940s, the environment, risk management and a systems approach were at the forefront of the planning, design and construction. The site was chosen due to the unique geologic setting and small area of farmland that would be lost to production. In addition, formulation of the dam balanced evaluations of water supply, drought and flooding.
While originally built to provide water supply, the dam eventually stopped being used for this purpose, and sediment accumulation was degrading aquatic habitat. Due to these sediment concerns, along with identified safety concerns and potential hazards associated with dam failure, the U.S. Army began looking to divest itself of Atkisson Dam. Aberdeen Proving Ground consulted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the full or partial removal of Atkisson Dam.
During the project initiation and planning phases, USACE officials identified an opportunity to restore free-flowing streams and rivers and provide significant improvements to water quality and fish passage. Implementing an environmentally compatible solution in a risk-informed and systems context would also bring the dam into compliance with U.S. Army regulations and Chesapeake Bay restoration goals. Through physical stream assessments, wetland surveys, forest stand delineations, bog turtle surveys, and fish, benthic and water quality sampling, environmental restoration opportunities were incorporated into an evaluation of a range of dam-removal alternatives. Ultimately, these analyses will support decision-making for the preferred solution to benefit the site and the surrounding ecosystem.
In 1984, the Maryland General Assembly enacted the Critical Area Act to address the increasing pressures placed on Chesapeake Bay resources from an expanding population. While Atkisson Dam does not fall within the critical area, the surrounding study area did meet the critical area definition. Therefore, a systems perspective was warranted. The Nature Conservancy, in coordination with the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Fish Passage Workgroup — made up of federal, state and local partners — developed a geographic information system model to help identify barriers to fish passage. The Freshwater Network of the Chesapeake Bay Region GIS model ranks barrier data from Tier 1-20 with Tier 1 indicating the “highest priority” and “most potential from a passage restoration project.” Four species of diadromous fish were found downstream of Atkisson Dam, and the dam was given a Bay-wide Anadromous Tier 3 designation, indicating the prioritization of potential for anadromous fish with the dam removal.
Pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, tribal consultation was an important part of the project and decision-making process. The Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians responded that there were no known sites at this location that were of interest to the tribes. In addition, ongoing coordination with several federal and state government agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations, will ensure diverse perspectives are included in the design process, especially related to impacts to submerged aquatic vegetation.
Comprehensive and life-cycle planning facilitated a design and construction approach to be developed to maximize environmental and cultural benefits on-site and downstream, reduce costs and increase safety. Incorporating environmental principles, risk management and systems thinking in the earliest stages of the project life cycle enabled the proper surveys, outreach and design disciplines to be part of the formulation and implementation process. It is through such examples that the U.S. Army can demonstrate its commitment to shared environmental goals and results.
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.25.2024 12:37 |
| Story ID: | 479752 |
| Location: | BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 6 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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