Mar. 7—CUMBERLAND — Consultants working on plans for a whitewater river park behind Canal Place said Wednesday the dam located beneath the Blue Bridge is not a flood control structure and could be removed.

The disclosure was positive news for advocates of the proposed park who see the dam’s removal as a key step in moving the $25 million project forward.

The Canal Place River Park was the featured topic at a public meeting held Wednesday at the Allegany Museum. The park, which would be built on the North Branch Potomac River, is expected to consist of a moderate whitewater course with docking areas for canoes and kayaks, a spectator viewing area, loop trails and designated fishing areas.

Colin McCardle, assistant project manager with Civil & Environmental Consultants, said construction plans for the dam revealed it was built in the 1950s to provide water for the former Kelly-Springfield Tire Co. Since the park’s location is in a flood control area, McCardle said many people think it’s part of flood control.

“We get a lot of comments of people asking, ‘If you get rid of the dam there is going to be floods,'” said McCardle. “No, the industrial dam was never a flood control measure with the (U.S.) Army Corps (of Engineers). It was specifically for water intake. It has never been part of the flood control system.”

McCardle said the dam does not provide support for the bridge.

“We did a preliminary structural analysis based on all the existing plans from the 1950s,” said McCardle. “Our structural engineer looked at all the blueprint plans and he recognized that the dam was built independent of the structure of the Blue Bridge. So removal of the industrial dam is feasible.”

CEC officials said core sampling of the sediment above and below the dam will be done to determine the amount of toxins that may be present. Once the level is determined, a decision will be made to either dredge the sediment or allow it to be released and pushed through the river system.

According to CEC, the park’s whitewater course will consist of seven pools, or eddies, constructed using rock, which will funnel water into passages to the next pool.

The course will start about 1,000 feet above the current dam site, adjacent to the Apothecarium Dispensary on Beall Street. Five of the pool features will be above the current dam site and two will be below, bringing the total course length to about 1,500 feet.

McCardle said the pooling features will provide a similar drag on the water flow like the dam did. With the dam removed, the water level will drop at an average of two feet per pooling area, which is, in total, similar to the dam height.

“It slows the water down and spreads it out over a longer area,” said McCardle. “The water volume will remain the same.”

Ritchie said there has been over $8 million in federal, state, Allegany County and city of Cumberland grants secured so far for the project.

“We are creating opportunities for Maryland and West Virginia,” said Christie. “You have a lot of visitors going to Deep Creek Lake that should be stopping here and spending dollars.”

The meeting included a question and answer session. One citizen said there are estimates the river park could draw nearly 1 million people per year. He asked how downtown could handle parking for thousands of tourists.

In addition to parking under the Interstate 68 bridge, Christie said there could be parking areas established as the attraction grows and shuttle services provided.

River park plans are at the 30% completion level in design and planning. Christie said the project will now enter the permitting phase.

A citizen asked who will have the final say in permitting. Christi said the “Army Corps of Engineers will be the ultimate approver.” He added that similar river parks have been constructed on flood control levees, including on the Miami River in Dayton, Ohio.

After the meeting, McCardle said CEC staff has been in touch with the Army Corps. “The feedback has been positive,” he said. “We will make sure we design a plan that works for them.”

Greg Larry is a reporter at the Cumberland Times-News. To reach him, call 304-639-4951, email glarry@times-news.com and follow him on Twitter @GregLarryCTN.