Maumee River Dam and Hydro Electric Plant William J. Hosey Mayor 1923-1925 plaque photo taken June 28, 2016 by Greg Michell posted May 12, 2019 on Fort Wayne's Dams on the Industrial History blog.
City Utilities can lower river levels by a few feet by opening a gate at the Hosey Dam on the Maumee River and allowing more water to flow downstream. Opening this "tainter" gate is similar to opening a drain in a bathtub. However the difference is that opening the gate does not allow the rivers to empty completely. Even when the gate is open, only a limited amount of water can flow out of the river system. So it is possible to have river flooding even if the gate is open. The likelihood of flooding depends on the amount of rain received in the City and upstream on the St. Joseph and St. Mary's Rivers.
Between October 15 and April 15, the tainter gate is left open and rivers fall to a low winter pool level. Between April 15 and October 15, the tainter gate is typically closed and the rivers rise to their normal summer pool level. Sometimes during the summer, the level of Fort Wayne's rivers may be lowered for planned construction or maintenance projects. Log jam removal, bridge or dam repairs, and sewer improvement projects are just some examples of work that might necessitate the lowering of river levels. The Tainter Gate Policy was established in 2007.
Fort Wayne's Dams with many photos including Hosey Dam Plaque from 1923-1925 and information posted May 12, 2019 at Industrial History blog: These are notes that I am writing to help me learn our industrial history. They are my best understanding, but that does not mean they are a correct understanding.
Daniel Baker "The Hosey Dam" photo taken on June 28, 2014 uploaded June 28, 2014 on flickr.
The Hosey Dam was named for Fort Wayne Mayor William J. Hosey, who's list of accomplishments included: the City Light & Power Company Plant, the Three Rivers Filtration Plant and getting the elevated railroad tracks project started. The Hosey was built in the mid-1920s as one of the first major public works projects in Allen County. Located on the Maumee River about a mile south of the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys Rivers, it holds back about 10 feet of water to Sweeney and Johnny Appleseed Parks.
During its life, Hosey Dam served as a power source providing electricity through its hydroelectric generators. Other purposes are a bit uncertain, though. Some say that it was constructed at a time when most sewers emptied into the rivers. Raising the river insured enough water to dilute the sewage, thus lowering the smell. Another supposed purpose was flood control. But, in reality, the rollers could not be raised high enough to halt the flood waters. The rollers as well as the hydroelectric generators have long been out of service.
Rumor has it that there was a study done to see whether or not the Hosey could return to providing electricity. What the outcome was (if there was one), I do not know.
Although unsightly, the debris poses little danger to the bridge’s structure, said Mike Kiester, the city’s manager of engineering.
Such removals offer only a temporary solution, and they come with a steep price tag, said Frank Suarez, chief of strategic communications and outreach with City Utilities.
“Our recent estimates from contractors indicate that the cost of removing just one large tree can be more than $100,000,” he told The Journal Gazette last month.
Fallen trees are naturally removed from the rivers during heavy rains, as the increased flow pushes them over the dam and down the river. The city is not concerned debris at the Hosey Dam could break free, damaging its bridges.
“The trees that got there came down the river, and probably passed numerous bridges through Fort Wayne,” Kiester said.
During Low Head Dam Awareness Month, the 2016 WFYI documentary “Over, Under, Gone: The Killer in Our Rivers” is an important watch. WFYI worked with IDHS and FEMA to highlight the dangers of low-head dams and show the people whose lives are affected by these silent killers.
There’s a killer in our streams and rivers. It hides within the falling waters on the downstream side of a dam. Thousands of these “low head” dams are scattered across our country, and while the name implies low hazard/low impact, nothing could be further from the truth.
Three Low Head Dams: 2-3 Hosey Dam on the Maumeee River, 2-4 St. Joseph River at US 930 and North Anthony Boulevard, 2-13 Spy Run Dam on Spy Run Creek.
Roster of Low Head Dams, NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION, 7-page Information Bulletin #81 (First Amendment), Indiana Register, October 20, 2021, DIN: 20211020-IR-312210450NRA at IN.gov.
