Removal of Maryland dam begins

Crews began removing the dam across the Patapsco River in Ellicott City, Maryland, in what is being called the larges removal project in Maryland history, a report by WUSA 9 says. The 220-foot-wide dam will take 20 months and $13 to $18 million to demolish.

Crews began closing sections of Grist Mill trail in the park to prepare for the removal Sept. 5, the report says.

According to the report, the dam blocked the migration patterns of shad, herring and American eels, which migrate from the Atlantic oceans to Maryland streams to reproduce. Once the dam is removed, an additional 60 miles worth of habitat in the river will be restored.

Safety is an additional reason for the dam’s removal. At least eight swimmers have died near the area since the 1980s, with the latest in 2013.

The dam was built in 1908 and was one of the first hydroelectric projects in the U.S., the report says. It held generators inside the structure under the level of the water being held back. The dam had not produced electricity since the 1920s.