Reservoir upstream of Sturgis dam to be lowered by 3 feet

The City of Sturgis plans to lower the reservoir upstream of its hydroelectric dam after federal regulators directed the city to reduce water levels by 3 feet as part of ongoing dam safety efforts.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) notified the city May 5 that the drawdown must be completed by July 15. The action follows the agency’s latest evaluation of the dam’s left embankment, an area that has been monitored for several years through the city’s regular dam safety reporting process.

City officials said the required drawdown is being implemented as an Interim Risk Reduction Measure while plans continue to move forward for long-term repairs and improvements to the embankment.

The city has been working with FERC since 2021 on a project to address conditions identified at the embankment. Project plans remain under review as regulators and city officials work to finalize design, monitoring, maintenance and emergency planning measures associated with the repair project.

On May 22, the city requested an extension that would delay the drawdown until September 15. Officials said the request was intended to lessen impacts on upstream residents during the summer months, including farmers who use the river for irrigation. The city is awaiting a response from FERC.

If implemented as currently required, the drawdown would affect river conditions for approximately five miles upstream of the dam. Officials said the impacts are expected to be similar to those experienced during a 2023 drawdown conducted to facilitate repairs to the Covered Road Bridge.

Once in place, the reduced water level could remain there for up to a year while embankment repairs are completed.

The city plans to hold a public meeting June 11 for residents who may be affected by the drawdown. More than 200 notification letters are expected to be sent to property owners and others identified as directly impacted once final details are confirmed.

City staff continue to monitor the dam daily and report that no conditions indicating an imminent embankment failure have been observed. In addition to daily inspections, the city regularly monitors wells within the earthen embankment to track water levels and identify any changes that could signal developing issues.

The city also maintains an Emergency Action Plan for the dam, which is reviewed and updated annually with participating agencies. The plan includes modeled emergency scenarios, downstream impact maps and notification procedures for affected property owners and emergency responders.