With work progressing on the new dam on Footprint Lake, with any problems stemming from the project seemingly resolved, attention is turning back to the more complex situation surrounding the dam below Esox Lake.
“There’s nothing new,” said Rachel Hill of the Ministry of Natural Resources. “We’re planning an open house in the fall of next year. Everything is kinda on hold.”
In January, an open house was held to present the findings of an initial environmental assessment of both the Footprint and Esox Lake dams. The findings suggested both dams were in disrepair and would need to be dealt with in some fashion. Options for both dams included reconstruction, replacement, removal and the less likely option of leaving it to fall apart on its own.
A large turnout from the public at that open house helped lay the framework for the replacement of the Footprint dam that is ongoing this summer.
At that meeting, many questions arose from the public about the watershed controlled by the Esox dam and how, if it were decided that the dam be removed and not replaced, it might affect lodge owners.
The MNR are conducting a more intense environmental assessment of the watershed which includes the whole of the Upper and Lower Manitou Lakes region.
“It was the amount of questions we got regarding Esox [that prompted the reassessment],” said Hill. “We wanted to get those questions answered. We’ll take a deeper look next year.”
She explained that the continuing environmental assessment will be conducted next summer so some of the questions that came out of the first open house can be answered at a second.
All property owners in the watershed were made aware of the MNR’s intentions this summer.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
