Hardy Dam Fate May Rest on Repairs to Spillway

Hardy Dam Spillway (photo by jhy)

from Croton Crawlers

The Hardy Dam on the Muskegon River (Michigan) creates the 4000-acre Hardy Dam Pond, the centerpiece of the recently completed 40-mile Dragon Trail. The identity of the trail is linked to the dragon-shaped impoundment, and Newaygo and Mecosta Counties have worked for 15 years and invested millions of dollars on this recreational destination.

But the fates of the 13 dams that Consumers Energy may sell to Confluence Hydro are all linked to the Hardy spillway. Consumers Energy has asked to delay repairs to the Hardy Dam spillway until 2028. Construction was supposed to begin in May 2026, but regulations allow for a time lapse for review and approval of the sale.

Regulators have still not decided if they will approve the plan to sell the dams to Confluence Hydro LLC, a subsidiary of a private equity firm, Hull Street Energy. Consumers will buy back all energy generated for at least 30 years.

However, the needed repairs to the 95-year-old Hardy Dam have raised concerns. Consumers Energy would continue to benefit from the power generation without having to do the necessary repairs.

Consumers says if the sale is denied their plan is to remove the dams. “If the sale is rejected, Consumers Energy likely will not proceed with the spillway project,” said Brian Wheeler the spokesperson for Consumers Energy. At utility hearings, CE testified, "We would then start decommissioning Hardy Dam and all of our dams.”

The spillway project is the largest single liability affecting the sale of the dams. According to federal standards, the dam is in satisfactory condition, but carries a "high hazard." This means that there would be probable loss of life in event of failure. Current regulations require dams to pass a safety test of the "probable maximum flood," and Hardy dam does not meet that standard. A new auxillary spillway for emergency overflow must be constructed.

Hardy Dam accounts for about one-third of all the hydro-energy generated by all 13 dams, but the income can not cover the cost of the spillway upgrade. In fact, this requirement was part of what initiated the plan to sell the dams.

Confluence Hydro has agreed to do the work, but the sale will not be approved until the responsible party is clearly identified and a timeline is laid out.

The Dragon Trail has received national recognition as a recreation success, and it is indeed a beautiful trail. It is open to non-motorized uses, and although the trail is completely open, supporting facilities such as campgrounds and additional access points are still in the works. Losing the reservoir would not destroy the trail, but much of the scenic beauty would be lost and water-based recreation would be drastically changed.

See Dam Removal Debates Continue


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