That's what we're doing. As people across the country celebrate Earth Week, more than 45 river restoration experts from across the Great Lakes region will witness the removal of the Kamrath Dam near Plymouth, WI on Thursday. This cold, spring creek once teemed with native brook trout. But when the dam was built in the 1950s for a long-defunct fish hatchery, the crystal clear waters suffered, and the trout were blocked from their spawning grounds. Removal of the Kamrath Dam and, later this year, additional dams downstream will restore the creek and brook trout will once again survive and thrive in the forested Onion River headwaters.
Rivers are the lifeblood of our ecosystems and the headwater areas serve as the hearts and lungs.
But, many of them are clogged with dams that no longer serve any purpose. Cold, clear, spring creeks are among our rarest of environments. Our coldwater resources represent less than one-millionth of one percent of the available freshwater on Earth. Restoration of the site was made possible when locally based Windway Capital Corporation purchased the land to restore the river and ensure its futureconservation. The company's owner fished the Onion River as a child and,when the land became available, he saw an opportunity to restore the site toits natural, healthy and free-flowing condition.