MARSHALL, MI (WTVB) – The City of Marshall is seeking requests for proposals to determine if the 124 year old hydroelectric dam on the Kalamazoo River should be removed or restored.
The city owns and operates the dam and associated facilities under a permit issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
It was determined nearly four years ago that the dam was in need of significant construction upgrades.
The dam generates less than one percent of Marshall’s total energy requirements.
If it is decided to rehabilitate the dam, that would require lowering the city’s millpond by up to eight feet which would expose the bottom of the river to air.
City officials have consulted with local and state health officials for their guidance about potential environmental hazards in the project.
