MDNR works with local communities and owners of hydroelectric dams to remove dams that no longer serve a useful purpose. The removal of a dam that no longer serves a purpose provides an opportunity for river restoration. Not only are fish able to pass freely, but water quality is often improved. Dam removal also eliminates concerns surrounding old dams that are unsafe or require extensive maintenance.

Built in 1919, Sturgeon Dam on the Sturgeon River near Norway, Dickinson County was operated as a hydroelectric project by We Energies. During relicensing proceedings, We Energies, federal and state resource agencies, and nongovernmental organizations accepted the removal of Sturgeon Dam as partial mitigation for the continued operation of other We Energies projects on the Upper Menominee River system. Removal of Sturgeon Dam is part of the Wilderness Shores Settlement Agreement signed in 2001.

The Sturgeon Dam removal plan calls for the 50-foot dam to be removed in three stages over a period of 4-5 years. The staged removal of Sturgeon Dam began in 2003 and is expected to be complete by 2007. By removing the dam in stages, it will allow the 248-acre reservoir and associated sediment to stabilize, thereby reducing fish and wildlife impacts. There are numerous benefits associated with the removal of Sturgeon Dam, including the restoration of over 1.5 miles of the Sturgeon River and improved water quality.

Sturgeon Dam prior to Phase 1 of removal 2003

Sturgeon Dam Impoundment prior to Phase 1 of removal 2003

Sturgeon Dam after Phase 1 of removal- August 2003

Sturgeon Dam Impoundment after Phase 1 of removal- August 2003