Springbank Dam should be decommissioned, according to city report
Report evaluated three options for the dam in southwest London
Let the river flow freely.
That's the conclusion of a city report released on Thursday into the future of the Springbank Dam.
So far, the One River Environmental Assessment report recommends decommissioning the dam which spans the Thames River in southwest London.
The dam has been out of commission since 2008 after a hinge on one of the gates broke.
As part of the assessment, Londoners were presented with three options earlier this year:
- Option 1: Do nothing and leave the dam in its current state
- Option 2: Decommission the dam to support a free-flowing river
- Option 3: Fix the dam
The report found a majority of groups and people who took part in the review preferred option two. That option would see the dam decommissioned so it does not provide any water retention.
Right now, Springbank Dam does not contribute to flood control in the city but it has been used in the past to raise water levels for boaters.
Consultations meant to gather feedback
City staff held a number of consultation sessions with the public, including outreach to local Indigenous communities.
It also launched a survey. Of those who completed the survey, 70 percent supported an unobstructed river, which was consistent with option 1 and 2.
24 percent of respondents were in support of repairing the dam.
Project manager Ashley Rammeloo said staff collected data from about 500 online and physical surveys, email, and face to face conversations.
"The resolution is based on the evaluation criteria that spans [around] natural environment, social and cultural environment and the technical and cost components," said Rammeloo.
"The next step is to determine how we decommission the dam assuming council goes with staff's recommendation. Looking at what is best environmentally and of course being fiscally responsible."
The city said the remaining six per cent were in favour of a combination of options or did not provide a response.
The environmental assessment report will be presented for public comment at a meeting of the Civic Works Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 9.