Came across some interesting information today for all the hoffman dam haters.The original plan for the hoffman dam removel consisted of dredging and removel of the toxic sediment behind the dam .Well now it seems that they are going to leave it right where it,s at.IEPA recommendations be damned.The info is at rblandmark.com and click on opinions.My own opinion .The removel of the weir dam has made an impact on the river above where it was.A good deal of once productive water area is dry as a bone.On the downstream side it,s too early to make an assessment due to lack of rain crazy weather etc .But being out there almost every day,it don,t look good .To all you guys north of hoffman dam.If you guys thought that taking out the hoffman will change your fishing,your probably right.That is if the fish get past the hoffman toxic remments.
Hoffman Dam Update
wallhead
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Came across some interesting information today for all the hoffman dam haters.The original plan for the hoffman dam removel consisted of dredging and removel of the toxic sediment behind the dam .Well now it seems that they are going to leave it right where it,s at.IEPA recommendations be damned.The info is at rblandmark.com and click on opinions.My own opinion .The removel of the weir dam has made an impact on the river above where it was.A good deal of once productive water area is dry as a bone.On the downstream side it,s too early to make an assessment due to lack of rain crazy weather etc .But being out there almost every day,it don,t look good .To all you guys north of hoffman dam.If you guys thought that taking out the hoffman will change your fishing,your probably right.That is if the fish get past the hoffman toxic remments.
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THere was a lot of testing being done here at Armitage dam.. they found the sediment behind the dam was the exact same as the sediment in front of it. Keep in mind this dam was a pimple compared to Hoffman. I don't know so much about the "toxic" sediment that turns you into the joker like in the Jack Nicholson batman, but its the DPR, toxic stuff is everywhere you look, still being pumped in too, however I had initially thought the Armitage dam would have some river level effect, at least in the few feet behind the dam. Theres no difference at all, almost like they just removed a big shopping cart and log jam, that particular dam was meaningless. There is no doubt however the notching of Hoffman will change that stretch forever, kinda like the first A-hole who built the dams there in the first place. Hopefully the A-corps do a quick job, replant the banks, and not leave anyone disappointed in the long run. Hopefully there will be some nice current for a smallie habit with all that riff rock lying under the dam already, but the bucketheads would clean those up in hurry as they already do there.. The guy on the Opinion said it himself, hes going with toxic sediment behind dam route, well why the heck would you want a big dam holding it back for you all these years? send it down the illinois like the Chicago River does...
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Heres is the next dam North of Hoffman currently... its a ways north in Rosemont Illinois, at the site of Camp Dearborn, an old WW2 base, good spot for ATV riding or Dirtbiking currently as well. Armitage was a lot like this, a check dam to help to the river level stay connected and keep flowing a little in times of low rain and drought, worse than what we have now only because of the help from effluent discharge(everytime I flush that water ends up in the DPR) and the concrete jungle around the river, the river never slows to the unnconnected pools that used to occurr, so these small check dams are just hazards now..
![CIMG2549.JPG]( "CIMG2549.JPG")
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Got a little more info:There is a section downstream from hoffman called the Toilet Bowl.It was named that because of the eddy that flowed counter to the current .Was a great place to fish,my grandson and I caught and released lots of slab crappie there as well as northern and walleye.Since the removal of the wier dam it doesn't hold much water.When the big dam goes it won,t hold any.The point I,m trying to make aux is.Up there where you fish it,s not very deep in the first place .When you lose half of that depth what will you have?And you will lose it. By the way the old toilet bowl has been fenced off for the staging area.
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very nice crappie------ I think a lot of people are gonna be surprised how short of a distance upstream from the dam river levels will be affected from the removal.. I think I am still over estimating, but theres a good chance you won't notice any river level drop near Salt Creek. And keep in mind its a notching not a total demo.. I think there will be a noticable change in river height(increase) under the dam to about the site of the old weir dam, above the dam I think we are only talking a few hundred yards up stream that might lower. Lets all wait and see, the river level question will be answered fairly early on though during the project,, I cant wait to see the heavy equipment in action there, as well as getting more updates and pics from you cats near the dam..
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I was alarmed at the water levels currently on the DPR up by us. But taking into account the lack of rain and crazy weather it all makes sense. The clarity however, which Im sure wouldnt have anything to do with the dam, is amazing. Its almost throwing me off because I like casting into the murkyness assuming there is something there.. now I can see there is nothing. :mrgreen:
Glad they're finally starting this project.
On a similar subject:::
Next, I wouldn't mind seeing Graue Mill dam come down which is in my neck of the woods on Salt Creek. I attended the official dam removal presentation that was held in 2009 at the Oak Brook village hall and the statistics and findings proving that dam removal would be beneficial for the health of stream (biodiversity) and its water quality (improved dissolved oxygen levels) were staggering and obvious.
You could see parallels between the DPR and Salt Creek in terms of river life downstream of the dams in comparison to the "lack of life" upstream of dams. Here was the Salt Creek report. It's long, but good info :: http://www.drscw.org/bioassessment/saltcreek.pdf
You can see similar studies of our other local rivers at this link :: http://www.drscw.org/bioassessment.html
I believe 2011 was the projected date for the Salt Creek removal but the locals and artsy photographers who frequent that photogenic area have caused several hiccups to take place.
On a similar subject:::
Next, I wouldn't mind seeing Graue Mill dam come down which is in my neck of the woods on Salt Creek. I attended the official dam removal presentation that was held in 2009 at the Oak Brook village hall and the statistics and findings proving that dam removal would be beneficial for the health of stream (biodiversity) and its water quality (improved dissolved oxygen levels) were staggering and obvious.
You could see parallels between the DPR and Salt Creek in terms of river life downstream of the dams in comparison to the "lack of life" upstream of dams. Here was the Salt Creek report. It's long, but good info :: http://www.drscw.org/bioassessment/saltcreek.pdf
You can see similar studies of our other local rivers at this link :: http://www.drscw.org/bioassessment.html
I believe 2011 was the projected date for the Salt Creek removal but the locals and artsy photographers who frequent that photogenic area have caused several hiccups to take place.
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Very nice to see all this being done to benefit our future generations. Didn't some of early settlers refer to Salt Creek as the west fork of the DPR? I also heard Salt Creek even though refered to as a Creek, is really classified as a river/stream. I also heard that they call it Salt Creek because a wagon back in the day carrying a load of salt tipped over while attempting to ford the river near the present site of Lake St. If any of this turns out to be false, I'm suing Northeastern..
Yes, "West Branch Des Plaines River" ... West Fork too.
I've also been told that same story also.
Another story I've heard is that the name also has something to do with all the salt run-off from roads during winter months. Not sure what that was like back in the day.
I've also been told that same story also.
Another story I've heard is that the name also has something to do with all the salt run-off from roads during winter months. Not sure what that was like back in the day.
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DuPage County did an excellent job of destroying Salt Creek. Through Elmhurst it used to have all these meanders. Then they channeled it.
Years ago I was told the possibility of removing the Graue Mill dam was a dead issue. Never going to happen. The creek has knee dams all through DuPage County. One at 35th street. I thought I found two in Elmhurst. If you can get fish coming up to Graue Mill after Hofmann is breeched, I'd say that's a pretty good achievement. Always did catch nice walleye there, crappie too. Could get better.
Years ago I was told the possibility of removing the Graue Mill dam was a dead issue. Never going to happen. The creek has knee dams all through DuPage County. One at 35th street. I thought I found two in Elmhurst. If you can get fish coming up to Graue Mill after Hofmann is breeched, I'd say that's a pretty good achievement. Always did catch nice walleye there, crappie too. Could get better.
Yes they did and they continue to do so. At some point last spring some agency or else it was the county itself took saws and removed TONS of shoreline brush, trees, and mini log jams. Fish and other critters used them... Now it's all barren, good fishing spots are gone, and so are the fish. Upstream of mill, and downstream as well. One month it was there, then the next time I got into the water a month later it was all gone.Ken G said:
I took the issue straight to the DuPage River Salt Creek Work Group and the Salt Creek Watershed Network. Apparently the people hired to remove log jams (hired by DuPage co.) weren't educated enough, didn't get the correct memo and couldn't tell the difference between a log jam blocking streamflow and navigation, and shoreline habitat. One year later I'm still pissed off.
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I hit the creek by graue mill 2 to 3 times every week.Used to be real nice shade from the trees made me feel comfortable ,probably the fish too.Then I get there one day and all the trees that lined the bank are gone.Iooks like the area was hit by napalm.I used to do fairly well over there,sometimes surprisingly well.The last 4 trips I got jack.Maybe it,s me maybe the lack of rain I don,t know .What I do know is it looks like shit.
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For those interested in the Dam Project....
Frank Veraldi of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is speaking tonite about the Hoffman Dam project at the Oak Brook recreation Center at 7p.m.. The Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited is having him as a guest, I'm guessing thats why this is in Oak Brook.
Frank Veraldi of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is speaking tonite about the Hoffman Dam project at the Oak Brook recreation Center at 7p.m.. The Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited is having him as a guest, I'm guessing thats why this is in Oak Brook.
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I did not make the meeting, but did take a drive over to Hoffman. As wallhead said,they have it fenced off the trailer is over there, and they have already started clearing some trees.
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Anybody know any of the Trout Unlimited guys? or talk with them on other sites? maybe they got some 411 on the meeting.
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I don't know them personally but I know a bit about the group itself. They are generally pro-dam removal and I would assume that they made a case for the benefits of removing the Hoffman Dam. I am not sure what interest trout unlimited would have in this case though....are they thinking of trying to make it a trout river???
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