Trending
WARREN -- Trumbull County Commissioners were given permission by their attorney to use some county funds to pay for a study that will look at the effect of the possible demolition of the Leavittsburg Dam in Warren Township.
The Trumbull County MetroParks board owns the dam that is scheduled for extraction in 2025.
Warren Township trustees and various township residents have been vocal in their criticism about the removal.
During discussion about the dam removal, residents have argued the action will lower the Mahoning River level and cause septic systems to be exposed. They also have expressed concerns about the effect on local wildlife.
Opponents to the removal have attended township trustee meetings, Trumbull County MetroParks meetings and county commissioners meetings in an effort to stop the plan.
Township trustees and residents last month asked the county to pay $30,000 of a $40,000 study to be done by DLZ Engineering to determine the environmental impact of the removal of the Leavittsburg dam. Trumbull County Engineer Randy Smith previously agreed to pay $10,000.
Because the commissioners expressed concerns about having the authority to use its funds to pay for the study, they hired attorney Thomas Wilson.
On Tuesday, Wilson said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency already has attempted to address some resident concerns, including the integrity of the bridge and the ramification of the drop of the water table.
"The Metroparks Board hired River Reach Construction to be the design-build team for the removal of the dam and the settlement behind the dam," Wilson said. "The EPA document, which the design-build team is using for its assessment, will address some of the concerns."
He questioned the integrity of the bridge and retaining wall, and what the outcome would be with the dam gone.
"There may be some banks dropoff," he said. "They are only looking at taking care of the bank right in the area of the Metroparks canoe livery, not extending to the north and the east."
The EPA's design-build process is expected to address how lowering the water table will affect some of the river bank, including at the Metroparks canoe livery, Wilson said.
"It will not address bank erosion in other areas around the dam," he added.
"We do not know what effect a drop in the water table will have on anyone with a well and whether that will require providing water from another source," Wilson said.
On issues affecting home sewer systems, that will be addressed by the EPA consent decree, he continued.
The elimination of the dam may improve flooding problems in the area.
"The design-build team has not completed its work," he said. "They are three to six months away from completion of the design build."
Wilson said the previous EPA assessment was not put together with township residents in mind, but instead with the river taking priority.
Commission President Denny Malloy said any future study will be written with residents in mind.
"This will look at the negative effect of removal in mind," he said. "This will make a clear picture of what is best for the citizens."
Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa noted if a study shows there are some major deficiencies for the community, it will be hard for the EPA to overlook them.
"There are residents that are concerned with the sycamore trees," Malloy said. "We are going to talk about the facts that we know."
Warren Township resident Debbie Roth asked if commissioners would make a decision on whether to pay for the study.
Malloy noted the commissioners likely would not make a decision until after the April 9 meeting with the MetroParks board, at which each side will be able to discuss everything they know about the project.
"That's only fair," Malloy said.
While the joint meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held at the commissioners' caucus room on the fifth floor of the county building, they are looking at a variety of locations, including the Veterans Building and the Planning Commission office.