Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
A major dam removal project is set to begin this week at Tyler State Park with the removal of the Spring Garden Dam on Neshaminy Creek.
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The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources are scheduled to begin construction Tuesday on the approximately 225-foot-wide, 9-foot-tall dam, which sits in Newtown and Northampton townships.
The project is expected to be completed Sept. 31, with landscaping and site restoration to follow.
The $1.3 million project is funded with $750,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund and $550,000 from DCNR’s Environmental Stewardship Fund, according to state officials.
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The dam will become the second-largest dam ever removed in Pennsylvania.
Park operations will continue during construction, but some visitor access will be temporarily restricted.
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A section of the footpath along Tyler Park Drive near the dam will be closed while heavy equipment is operating in the area, and a short section of the Neshaminy Creek Trail also will close for one to two days while crews install a new access gate and drainage cross-pipe.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will take wildlife protection measures before construction, including temporarily trapping and relocating red-bellied turtles from the immediate work zone. The turtles are classified as a threatened and endangered species.
Most park facilities, trails and recreation areas will remain open, and the Fisherman’s Parking Lot will remain open.
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The project is intended to restore Neshaminy Creek to free-flowing conditions, remove a longstanding public safety hazard and improve water-based recreation in the park. Removing the dam will reconnect aquatic habitat and improve passage for fish and other wildlife.
Neshaminy Creek is designated for migratory fish, and removing the barrier is expected to support healthier and more sustainable fish populations.
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The dam, a “run of the river” structure, can create dangerous conditions for paddlers, anglers and others using the creek. Its removal also will allow more natural stream flows, improve fishing opportunities and enhance the stream corridor for visitors.
The dam currently serves no recreational or functional purpose for the park and has no flood-control capabilities, state officials said.
According to a press release, hydrologic assessments have determined that its removal is not expected to increase flooding risks during storms or change how Neshaminy Creek behaves during high-water conditions.
Tyler State Park is made up of 1,711 acres of woodlands, fields, and the Neshaminy Creek. Visitors can bike, boat, disc golf, fish, hike, ride horses, hunt, picnic and watch wildlife at the park.