Community leaders celebrate removal of deadly, ugly Dennett Dam in Modesto

Community leaders on Thursday gathered along the shore of the Tuolumne River in Modesto to celebrate the removal of Dennett Dam, an eyesore that created blight, damaged the ecosystem and presented a safety hazard for decades.

The water that flowed over the dam created a whirlpool that pulled swimmers down into a hole created by the falling water. Tuolumne River Trust Executive Director Patrick Koepele said the dam’s removal allows the river to flow smoothly through Modesto, improving the safety for those who want to use it for recreation.

He said the removal gives people the ability to safely paddle downriver and eliminates a barrier for migrating salmon and steelhead, enhancing access to 37 miles of upstream habitat.

“We really wanted to get this dam out of here, so that it would complement (Gateway Park), improve recreation, improve fish and wildlife habitat,” Koepele said.

Dedicated in a July 4, 1933, ceremony, Dennett Dam was intended to create serene Lake Modesto along the Tuolumne River.

The dam washed out in 1935 and again in the early 1940s. It was condemned in 1947. Only its foundation was left, spanning the river under a bridge.

In the ‘30s and ‘40s, Dennett Dam served as a watering hole for the public during the warm summer months. Plans to rebuild the dam were revived but eventually died.

The dam has been the site of three drownings since 2006. In August, crews began pulling the tiny dam out of the river near Modesto’s Ninth Street Bridge.

Koepele said the project erases the blight that had contributed to the area’s bad reputation for many years. Once they pulled the dam’s foundation out of the river, crews found tires, shopping carts and mattresses buried in the sediment.

“This dam would collect just all kinds of trash, and water hyacinth is an invasive weed, which would bunch up behind it,” Koepele said. “And it was really ugly.”

The Tuolumne River Trust has been working on plans to remove the dam since 2009. The group hosted Thursday’s ceremony, thanking city officials, federal and state agencies and other community organizations who played key roles in the planning and funding of the project.

Work on the removal of the dam’s remnants, which cost roughly $1.6 million, was the result of a partnership between the city and the Tuolumne River Trust. Those behind the project envision that removing the dam will change the public’s perception of that area along the river.

Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold said he now has a good reason to buy that kayak he’s wanted. At the ceremony, he called the area “a beautiful location for all types of recreation.”

Elected officials and other community leaders got in two rafts and paddled down the river to cut a ceremonial ribbon signifying the re-opening of the river to recreation.

Chris Guptill — as founder of Operation 9-2-99 — has spent a lot of time removing garbage from this area along the river. He said he spotted a river otter there Thursday morning, a clear sign that there is active wildlife here.

Guptill said at the ceremony that the community “needs a more positive river culture,” and the dam’s removal allows them to do that.

Along with impeding fish, the dam deterred people who canoed and kayaked along the Tuolumne. When the river ran low, the remnants of the dam’s foundation were visible, creating a roughly 2-foot drop.

Now, the river’s conditions are suitable for paddling on rafts, kayaks and canoes floating downstream from Legion Park.

“We’re excited that we can now encourage people to use the river for recreational purposes,” said Nathan Houx, Modesto parks planning and development manager. “The more people down here the better, the less negative use we hope to have.”

The city has received a $780,000 state grant to fund the construction of a boat ramp along Neece Drive, just north of the driving range at the Modesto Municipal Golf Course. This will create a “water trail” for those wishing to enjoy the Tuolumne River Regional Park by river, Koepele said.

Once the Neece Drive ramp is completed, Koepele said, there will be 10 river access points and boat launches over a 52-mile section of the Tuolumne between La Grange and the San Joaquin River.

This story was originally published October 18, 2018 at 5:18 PM.