Staff photo / R. Michael Semple A section of the eastside of the Summit Street dam has been breached. The demolition process of the dam began Wednesday.

WARREN — Demolition of the Summit Street dam is officially underway, as extraction of the underwater structure in the Mahoning River began Wednesday.

Director Paul Makosky of the Warren Engineering, Planning and Building Department said the project will cost a total of $3,147,643 and that RiverReach Construction will be completing the project, which is part of the Mahoning River Corridor Revitalization Plan.

All of those funds went through Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, according to Mayor Doug Franklin. He expressed appreciation to Eastgate.

“It is part of the regional initiative to improve the Mahoning River Corridor,” he said. “We hold the contract for (the) removal of the dam but this has been a regional initiative. Eastgate has been at the front of assisting these communities and getting the funds. It’s really a benefit to the local communities that they gave as much assistance as they have.”

Franklin said the total funding received for the project was $3,225,500 which was funded by the state of Ohio and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Water Pollution Control Loan Fund. The state OEPA provided $1,500,000 and OEPA WPCLF provided $1,725,500.

The city also paid MS Consultants $148,981 to establish the criteria for the demolition.

Makosky said the dam is approximately 100 years old.

Franklin said the dam demolition will have both an environmental and an economic impact.

“The number one benefit is that it’s going to restore the river to its natural state so we’ll have a clean, free-flowing river that will support the fish habitat,” he said. “It will support kayaking and angling which could create tourism dollars as a result. We’re unique in that our dam and our river runs through our parks and our downtown. That’s a quality of life benefit that can’t be underestimated.”

Makosky said demolition will be completed by the end of the year.

After the project is finished, the city has other plans for the river, he said.

“The Mahoning side project – we have a grant to make improvements in that area,” Makosky said. “We have funds to replace the pedestrian bridge.”

The remaining sediment gathered from the project will be stockpiled at the northern area of the dam site.

Franklin said the material has been tested for toxins and because small amounts have been detected, treatment will occur on the site once the project is complete.