Harms Mill Dam area closed during restoration work in tennessee

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has announced a closure of the Harms Mill Dam area as part of ongoing efforts to remove the dam and restore the Elk River ecosystem. The public closure aims to ensure safety and prevent interference with construction and ecological measures during the removal process

Harms Mill Dam, a low-head structure on the Elk River in Lincoln County, has been classified as obsolete, partially breached, and posing both ecological and public safety concerns. The removal project is supported by federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Fish Passage Program, and is aligned with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for barrier removal. The dam and the adjacent powerhouse will be demolished, and only abutment walls will remain to help stabilize riverbanks.

The removal project has undergone environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In its Statement of Findings, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that the dam’s removal would open approximately 1,114 stream miles to upstream fish passage and benefit numerous aquatic species, including 46 species of greatest conservation need and 19 federally listed species.

Engineering and construction measures for the removal include use of floating silt curtains, temporary cofferdams made of bulk bags, erosion controls such as silt fences, and stabilization of disturbed bank and fill areas using geotextiles and riprap. Equipment access roads, already existing gravel drives, will be reinforced, and post-demolition work includes restoring original road grades and removing staging fills.