NILES — An $8 million project to remove Pucker Street Dam from the Dowagiac River entered its first phase last Monday.

Crews contracted by Milbocker & Sons, of Allegan, Michigan, will take down the dam’s powerhouse through September, said Marcy Hamilton, deputy executive director and senior planner for Southwest Michigan Planning Commission.

“We’re really excited that it’s actually happening,” she said on behalf of the commission. “It’s been a long journey to get here.”

About six years ago, the state informed the city of Niles that Pucker Street Dam either had to be repaired, stabilized or removed. The city had since spent time weighing its options, obtaining clearance for construction from property owners near the site and finding funding.

Since then, entities including Niles, the planning commission and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians have worked together to plan out how to move forward, completing work such as writing grants, informing the public and locating sites along the river that may see ecological changes.

While most of the funding comes from the city, which owns the dam and the surrounding Losensky Park, $1.8 million in grant commitments have also been obtained.

“It’s a big lift from the city of Niles’ side, but they see the importance of it and wanted to do the right thing,” Hamilton said.

As workers begin deconstructing the powerhouse, they are also removing hazardous material and equipment from when it provided energy to Niles in the early to late 1900s. Asbestos and lead paint are two common culprits of potential contamination on the site. Fuels and lubricating oils may also be present.

Hamilton said no land or water contamination has resulted from the deconstruction.

Right now, Hamilton said the project is in a “wait and see” period until it receives final approval of its best management practices from the state’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

“There’s only certain things that we can do because we don’t have our permit from EGLE,” she said. “We’re still in the final revisions of that with the state. The only work we can do right now is above the high-water mark.”

Some of the expected benefits of Pucker Street Dam’s removal include improved ecologies, larger native species populations and faster-moving water. Hamilton said the department wants to ensure the project provides the best benefits.

The dam is about three miles from the confluence with the St. Joseph River. The dam has closed off much of the river’s watershed to the St. Joseph River.

While the dam cannot be removed, Hamilton said contractors may potentially be able to lower the dam’s gates to begin moving water around.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources also restricts water work. Contractors cannot work in the water until the trout spawning season ends in April.

Once water work can begin, the landscape in and around the water could change, Hamilton said.

“I think it’s going to be really beautiful there,” she said. “It will be a free-flowing river through there. I wouldn’t be surprised if some natural rapids came there over time, especially when the dam is out.”

That, she said, is much different than what the Dowagiac River is currently like because of the dam.

“The area above the dam is kind of stuck in between a river and an impoundment,” Hamilton said.

A change in water height and speed because of the dam’s removal will also result in more wetlands. The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission is working to find where these spots may arise as they prepare to remove the dam.

The next phase of the project is slated to being in October. Workers will make use of property easements obtained from some residents along the river to build access roads from the dam. Next spring, the project plans to use the roads to remove sediments from the river up to 1,400 feet upstream from the dam.

Those interested in following dam removal project updates, parks closures and other news can go to nilesmi.org/puckerstdam/updates.