Mayor worried about flooding following conservation dam decision

McGowan Falls might not be very large, but it is one of the most picturesque waterfalls in midwestern Ontario. But wear and tear on the associated dam from holding back frazzle ice over the past 20 years has taken its toll, say the owners of the Upper Durham Dam, the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA).

“This dam cannot hold up to the pressures of that ice applying itself to the top of the dam. And three different engineering reports have confirmed that indeed, it is a safety hazard to continue to operate in that way,” said Erik Downing, general manager with the SVCA.

Those reports say damage from holding back that winter ice and water have caused “severe concrete damage” to the dam, which “poses a risk of structural failure.” So, the SVCA will pull the flashboards and stoplogs that hold that ice and water back each winter, allowing for a free-flowing river.

That’s caused concern for the local mayor, Kevin Eccles. He said he’s worried about safety of a different kind. The safety of the community of Durham. In 1997, when the stoplogs and flashboards were also removed, the town almost flooded after frazzle ice plugged up the Saugeen River flowing through the middle of town.

Durham Upper Dam, seen on Nov. 28, 2024. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

“In 1997, it was as close to a disaster as you can get. We came very close to even losing the bridge over Highway 6, and the dam,” said Eccles.

After that, in 2006 as a pilot project, the flashboards and stoplogs were kept in Durham’s upper dam during the winter to control the frazzle ice buildup. It appeared to work, so going back to the way it was before 2006 with no dam controls for the frazzle ice has Eccles worried about a repeat performance of 1997, or worse.

“By not doing it the way it has been done with the boards in, I'm not sure that it would be a unique situation, to flood the whole town at this point in time,” said Eccles.

Frazzle Ice near the Durham Upper Dam. (Source: Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority)

Downing said they can no longer ignore the engineering reports from 2021, 2022, and 2024 that say the dam is in danger of failure if the winter boards stay in.

“This dam cannot hold up to those forces. There's three structural engineers reports that say that the dam is at risk if we continue in this way, and it has seen significant damage over the last 20 years,” said Downing.

“The liabilities of changing the operations I don't think have been thought through totally yet. I'm hopeful that there’s a change in mindset from both the Conservation Authority and the Ministry of Natural Resources, for the protection of the community here in Durham,” said Eccles.