Improvements Being Made at Cedar Falls Dam

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Cedar Falls are beginning work they hope will improve safety at a low-head dam on the Cedar River.

The city is using $50,000 from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to pay for designs and permits that will lead to future work on the dam.

A number of Iowa communities have such dams, which can be dangerous because they create small drops in the river that make the water roll. If people go over the dam, they can be caught in the churning water.

City Engineer Randy Lorenzen says safety could be improved by placing rubble at the base of the dam, which should reduce the strength of the rolling water.

The city will seek additional funding in the future.

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