KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2010 / NEWS
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LAWRENCE
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Dam project will expand recreation sites
Plans for the Bowersock Dam expansion include a canoe portage and a fishing deck for outdoor recreation. The project, which is set to begin before the end of the year, will also triple the amount of renewable energy produced by the hydroelectric power plant.
BY JANENE GIER
jgier@kansan.com
Architectural rendering courtesy of Sabatini Architects
Construction on the Bowersock Mills and Power Company's new hydroelectric plant could begin before the end of this year, which would expand recreational opportunities for boaters and fishers and triple the amount of clean, renewable energy that the plant produces.
"We're excited because we're going to have a safer place to recreate," said Bowersock owner Sarah Hill-Nelson.
Bowersock currently sits at the southeast end of the Massachusetts Street Bridge. The plant's new addition, the North Plant Project, will sit at the northeast end of the Massachusetts Street Bridge and will probably be one of the first things visible when driving into town, Nathan Walker, a representative for Bowersock, said.
The architectural renderings, created by Sabatini Architects, depict a new fishing dock that could to hold up to 12 people as well as a new canoe portage, Walker said.
The new canoe put-in will be a safe distance from the hydroelectric plant, and signs will be posted to alert boats to prepare to exit the river, Walker said.
Long-time Lawrence resident and KU alumnus David Brewer said he was pleased to hear about the planned improvements.
"The more river access we have — paddlers and whoever — the better we are," Brewer, also an avid kayaker, said.
A number of Lawrence groups were consulted in the planning process, including Friends of the Kaw, which helped give an idea of what to expect and how to create safe and lasting access to the river, Hill-Nelson said.
"This will be a good improvement for them. We're happy for them and we're happy that there's going to be better portage. Right now it's not very safe," said Laura Calwell, Kansas River keeper and Friends of the Kaw employee. Friends of the Kaw is a group with the main objective of protecting and preserving the Kansas River, Calwell said.
Bowersock's dam has been around for more than 100 years, providing power and holding back water.
One river access point is about a mile west of the Massachusetts Street bridge and another is a half of a mile east of the Bridge, Calwell said. With the North Plant Project, if a boater floats too far down the river, they'll have a safer place to get out before
reaching the dam.
"It will be nice to have a portage so close to here," Hilary Janney, a senior from Lawrence and Sunflower Outdoor and Bike employee, said. "There are other places to dock but they're not necessarily nice or easy to access."
Janney said getting in and out of the water near the dam was doable but not safe or smooth.
The plans for the new plant include a safer fishing area, she said.
Hill-Nelson said Bowersock's North Plant Project will be a good addition for fishermen because so many people have gone out on the dam to fish areas that are not safe for fishing. She said a new painted warning sign has improved the situation, but not eliminated the problem.
Bowersock's existing plant creates enough energy to power about 1,800 homes and, with the addition of the North Plant, Bowersock will be producing enough energy to power nearly 6,000 homes. Hill-Nelson said.
More information will be available regarding progress of the project after August 1, when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission completes its environmental assessment, Walker said.
The project will cost roughly $20 million, including the design, permit, building and start-up, Walker said.
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