It’s Time: These Aging Plainwell Dams Must Be Removed — Free the Kalamazoo River

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Michigan Kayaking Journal | March 24, 2026

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It’s Time: These Aging Plainwell Dams Must Be Removed — Free the Kalamazoo River

PLAINWELL, Mich. — State and local leaders are set to provide an update Monday night on three 19th-century dams along the Kalamazoo River, as plans move forward to replace them with fish ladders. But for many who know and love this waterway, ladders represent only a partial solution. They say the dams must be removed entirely.

Constructed in the 1850s to power a long-silent paper mill, the aging structures — one near city hall, another by Gilkey Elementary, and a third farther south — have obstructed the river’s natural flow for generations. Today, they trap sediment, fragment fish habitat, increase flood risk, and stand as ticking time bombs at the end of their engineered lifespan.

Each year they remain in place is another year the Kalamazoo is denied its natural rhythm — its fish runs disrupted, its ecological health diminished, and its potential for vibrant community life unrealized.

Full removal, advocates argue, would restore the river’s flow, reconnect spawning grounds for game fish, revive wetlands and wildlife corridors, reduce public safety hazards, and generate long-term economic and recreational benefits far beyond what fish ladders alone can provide. This is more than infrastructure — it is ecological restoration for a river that has carried Michigan’s past and deserves a healthier future.

Among those calling for action is longtime river advocate and co-founder of the West Michigan Kayaking Club, Brad De Young.

“These aging dams are nothing but a liability to taxpayers and a safety hazard,” De Young said. “Not only that, they choke the rivers and harm the ecosystem. We can save taxpayer money and improve the environment by doing one simple thing: removing these dams. They need to go.”

The multi-agency effort — involving the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — is currently at approximately 30% design. Plainwell City Manager Justin Lakamper acknowledged the dams are “conceivably at the end of their life” and expressed optimism about the potential for improved fishing and increased tourism.

Monday’s meeting will include updates from EGLE’s Dam Safety Division and NOAA on inspections and project progress. Pending landowner approvals, the project is expected to advance to 60–80% design in preparation for permitting.

The river has waited long enough.

Plainwell now stands at a crossroads: preserve remnants of the past, or restore a living system for the future. For many, the answer is clear.

The dams must go. The Kalamazoo must run free once again.

Learn more about paddling, conservation, river restoration, and community kayaking events through the West Michigan Kayaking Club

#westmichigankayakingclub #kalamazooriver #damremoval #michigankayaking #riverrestoration

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