On May 5, the city of Sturgis City received notice from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding the need to “draw down” the reservoir upstream of the city’s hydroelectric dam, no later than July 15, 2026.
According to city manager Andrew Kuk, this drawdown was in response to FERC’s most recent evaluation of conditions of the left embankment of the dam.
Conditions related to the embankment have been noted and monitored for several years as part of the city’s routine dam safety reporting through FERC.
The drawdown required is three feet and is being implemented as an “interim reduce risk measure.”
Until the recent notice, FERC had indicated no dam safety deficiencies were observed that required immediate action and requested action was limited to continued planning for already-proposed work on the embankment.
Since 2021, the city has been collaborating with FERC to complete a project to repair and improve the embankment to address the identified problems. Project plans have been under review as FERC and the city work to ensure that any necessary design changes, surveillance, monitoring, maintenance and emergency planning are incorporated into the project for safety as work is undertaken.
On May 22, the city requested an extension for the drawdown from FERC, asking to delay the deadline until Sept. 15, 2026. That request is intended to limit potential impact of a drawdown on upstream residents during summer, such as when farmers use the river for irrigation.
Effects of a drawdown will be seen for a distance of about five miles upstream from the Sturgis dam. This drawdown will have a similar impact to one conducted in 2023 to complete repair of Covered Road Bridge.
Drawdown could continue for at least a year until repair is completed, Kuk said.
Pending response from FERC, city officials plan to hold a meeting on June 11 for potentially affected residents. At least 200 letters will be sent to those affected by the drawdown, after final information is confirmed.
As part of reporting, the city monitors the dam on a daily basis to ensure that it is operating properly and that there are no conditions that would result in failure of the embankment.
The city also monitors specific wells that are within the earthen embankment every few weeks to ensure the water surface within the area is not showing a trend indicating an issue.
As part of regular safety planning, the city has modeled potential emergency scenarios and their impact on downstream properties.
Maps of the area, along with the affected downstream property owners and roads, are included in the city’s emergency action plan for the dam, Kuk said.
EAP is updated annually to ensure that all pertinent agencies are aware of their roles and responsibilities. Contact information for property owners downstream also is confirmed on an annual basis.
