Indianford
Dam's loss may aid region's tourism
(Published
Saturday, January 15, 2000)
By Catherine W. Idzerda/The Janesville Gazette Staff
Jet skiers would
become bird watchers.
Motor boats would transform into
canoes.
Private beaches would become wetland tourist
spots.
That's Martine Koeppel's vision of what Lake
Koshkonong could be without the Indianford Dam.
Koeppel, who
serves as the president of the Jefferson County Environmental
Network, believes removing the dam would be best for the
environment--and the economy.
"Losing the Indianford Dam
would create more tourism, not less, for Rock and Jefferson
counties," Koeppel said. "Over 400,000 visitors visit the Horicon
Marsh every year; in 1998 tourism expenditures in Dodge County were
$53 million."
Koeppel believes many of Jefferson County's
residents and board members share her views.
"I've talked
with the majority of Jefferson County Board members and they're not
putting a penny into this. They don't want that dam," Koeppel said.
"And plenty of people--even some people around the lake and south of
the dam--don't want it either."
What about the public
hearings where scores of people stood up in support of the
dam?
"That's all the big-mouths who step forward," Koeppel
said. "Nobody told us about those meetings."
But Koeppel's
critics say she's not completely in touch with public
opinion.
"I feel Jefferson County has a big obligation here,"
Jefferson County Supervisor Ron Buchanan said. "And I'm sure that
there are other supervisors support keeping the dam. They're
fair-minded people."
A survey of JCEN members showed that
between 60 and 65 percent of its 2,500 members support the removal
of the dam, Koeppel said.
"The removal percentage goes up
even higher when asked if they should help pay for the dam's repair
and annual maintenance of the dam," Koeppel said.
For
Buchanan, Jefferson County has a moral and legal obligation to help
with the dam.
"Look at how much of the lake is in Jefferson
County," Buchanan said. "And if the lake disappeared, we would have
to raise everyone else's taxes."
Jefferson County Supervisor
Jim Hartwig also disputed Koeppel's statements.
"We don't
know what our financial commitment is going to be yet. We haven't
had the meetings on it," Hartwig said. "But I doubt very much that
the majority of the supervisors support removing the
dam."
Jefferson County Board Chairman Wendell Wilson said
Thursday that his county probably would be interested in
contributing to the dam's repair, but officials needed more
information first.
"We need a number, something that's
concrete. I can't go to my board and ask for 25 percent or 75
percent of repair costs. My board's going to say '25 percent of
what?'" Wilson said.
It's estimated that repairing the dam
would cost more than $600,000; removing the dam would cost more than
$800,000, according to a 1998 study. Yearly upkeep on the dam could
cost between $50,000 and $75,000, Rock County Parks Director Tom
Kautz said.
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