Officials gathered on the bank of the Patapsco River in Baltimore County Sept. 5 to celebrate one of the most significant river restoration projects on the East Coast with the removal of the Bloede Dam.When it was completed back in 1907, the Bloede Dam was on the cutting edge of electricity production. But once it went out of service, it not only became an eyesore, but had devastating effects on the ecosystem.The 34-foot-high by 220-foot-long dam has been a serious public safety hazard for decades. It has been related to countless injuries and at least nine deaths since the '80s. The most recent death happened in June 2015, officials said."From a safety standpoint, it has been an attractive watering hole and recreational site, but it's dangerous," said Ben Grumbles, secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment. "It's a chokehold, just like if you have a blockage in your artery. It leads to poor health and danger, and it doesn't allow fish and eels to migrate upstream to help clean the water and nourish the ecosystem."The $15 million-plus project began about a year ago, starting with moving an almost 50-year-old sewer line that ran behind the dam. Removing the dam will free up blocked sediment, restore the Patapsco River's natural processes and free migratory fish swimming to and from the Chesapeake Bay, providing more than 65 miles of spawning habitat for blueback herring, alewife, American shad, hickory shad and American eel, officials said."Fish are really the cornerstone to restoring the ecosystem and also at helping benefit the bay," said Tisa Shostock, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Restoration Center.Representatives from NOAA have been monitoring the process closely and said result should be seen almost immediately."As long as this barrier is not here, they'll be able to reach upstream 65 miles of new habitat that they'll be able to reach for the first time in over 100 years," Shostock said.The demolition started before Wednesday and deconstruction work will continue through November.UPDATE: On Sept. 12, officials released video of one of a blast and breach of the dam.

Officials gathered on the bank of the Patapsco River in Baltimore County Sept. 5 to celebrate one of the most significant river restoration projects on the East Coast with the removal of the Bloede Dam.

When it was completed back in 1907, the Bloede Dam was on the cutting edge of electricity production. But once it went out of service, it not only became an eyesore, but had devastating effects on the ecosystem.




The 34-foot-high by 220-foot-long dam has been a serious public safety hazard for decades. It has been related to countless injuries and at least nine deaths since the '80s. The most recent death happened in June 2015, officials said.



"From a safety standpoint, it has been an attractive watering hole and recreational site, but it's dangerous," said Ben Grumbles, secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment. "It's a chokehold, just like if you have a blockage in your artery. It leads to poor health and danger, and it doesn't allow fish and eels to migrate upstream to help clean the water and nourish the ecosystem."

The $15 million-plus project began about a year ago, starting with moving an almost 50-year-old sewer line that ran behind the dam. Removing the dam will free up blocked sediment, restore the Patapsco River's natural processes and free migratory fish swimming to and from the Chesapeake Bay, providing more than 65 miles of spawning habitat for blueback herring, alewife, American shad, hickory shad and American eel, officials said.

"Fish are really the cornerstone to restoring the ecosystem and also at helping benefit the bay," said Tisa Shostock, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Restoration Center.

Representatives from NOAA have been monitoring the process closely and said result should be seen almost immediately.

"As long as this barrier is not here, they'll be able to reach upstream 65 miles of new habitat that they'll be able to reach for the first time in over 100 years," Shostock said.

The demolition started before Wednesday and deconstruction work will continue through November.

UPDATE: On Sept. 12, officials released video of one of a blast and breach of the dam.

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