Restoring Fish Migration Pathways in Indiana’s Mississinewa River
MARION, INDIANA
Removing an unsafe low-head dam in Indiana’s Mississinewa river leads to increased fish habitat, safer recreation, improved water quality, and increased flood prevention.
By removing the Charles Mill Dam on the Mississinewa River in November 2023, the City of Marion, Indiana, reconnected nearly 1,000 miles of waterways, improved public safety, and restored vital migration routes for local fish and wildlife species.
Built in 1936, the Charles Mill Dam was a low-head dam adjacent to the historic Charles Mill grist mill, along the banks of the Mississinewa River in Marion. Low-head dams, which serve no purpose in reducing flood risk, are known to create underwater, recirculating currents that can trap and kill unsuspecting swimmers, making them deceptively dangerous for public safety.
In 2016, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources conducted an inspection of the dam and found it to be “extremely dangerous and in poor condition,” according to a feasibility report released by the City of Marion prior to the demolition process. In the late 2010s, the Charles Mill Dam was the site of several deaths and near drownings, primarily involving children and young adults.
Low-head dams also pose significant risks for the long-term populations of fish, which rely on connected networks of streams and rivers to migrate. When fish are prevented from migrating by fish passage barriers like dams and culverts, they may be unable to access their spawning habitats, which can result in population decline.
Heavy equipment breaking down the Charles Mill Dam.
Credit: EcoSystems Connections Institute, LLC
The Mississinewa River, which spans 100 miles across Indiana and Ohio, is home to more than 70 species of fish, with an estimated 85% of those species migrating upstream. Prior to demolition, the position of the Charles Mill Dam created a barrier that prevented access to 965 miles of connected waterways for species like large- and smallmouth bass, catfish, bluegill, and carp.
The dam removal project was completed in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via its National Fish Passage Program, which removes barriers like these across the country to increase fish migration and spawning opportunities. Removal of the Charles Mill Dam resulted in the largest network of waterways opened by a fish passage project in the state of Indiana.
The National Fish Passage Program is funded in part by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which granted $455 million to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Of those funds, $200 million were allocated for distribution to the National Fish Passage Program over a five-year period. The Charles Mill Dam project was awarded $325,000, with an additional $235,000 in partner matching.
Financial contributions from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have allowed the National Fish Passage Program to triple its resources for fish passage projects nationally, including 10 projects in the state of Indiana. Currently, similar projects in the Hoosier state are underway in Fort Wayne, Anderson, Richmond, Edinburgh, and Terre Haute.
Resource Challenges Addressed
Removing barriers to fish migration
Safeguarding fish populations
Reconnecting and revitalizing local waterways
Protecting public safety
Improving outdoor recreation
Key Partners
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Ecosystems Connections Institute, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, and the City of Marion, Indiana
Cost
$560,000
Results and Accomplishments
The removal of the Charles Mill Dam will allow more than 70 species of fish to access valuable spawning grounds across 965 miles of reconnected waterways.
*This story is part of a Great Lakes restoration success story packet that was used in the Coalition’s 2024 Great Lakes Day, with one story from each state in the region. Read the full packet
