Project Overview:

The Great Miami River Recreation Connectivity Project includes several components to improve river safety, recreational opportunities, and wildlife habitat along the Great Miami River, including:

  • Removal of the low-head dam south of Troy;
  • Restoration of oxbow wetlands in the area of Miami Shores Golf Course;
  • Installation of new shared-use recreational trails on the south bank of the Great Miami River; and
  • River access points for recreational paddlers.

Low Dam Removal

Concrete low-head dams, like the one in Troy, were installed decades ago to sustain the water level, often for industrial projects like Troy’s former power plant. However, most low-head concrete dams, including Troy’s, have outlived their life and purpose. Low-head dams harm water quality through oxygen depletion, interrupt fish migration, and create dangerous undercurrents that can seriously injure kayakers and canoers. Removing Troy’s low-head dam will help to make the Great Miami River safer for recreation and improve conditions for paddlers. This restoration will also increase habitat for species important to fishing, such as the smallmouth bass.

The low dam removal will:

  • Improve water quality
  • Make the river safer for paddlers
  • Reduce sediment build-up
  • Increase habitat for native species, including recreationally-important fish

Background on Low Dam Removal: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service held a final public meeting for residents and interested stakeholders to discuss the recommendations of the Low Dam Modification/Removal Feasibility Study on June 8, 2020. The presentation given at that meeting is available here. The final feasibility study is available here.

Low Dam Removal Partners: The low-head dam removal is 100 percent reimbursable through state and federal grants. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Miami Conservancy District, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and other agencies are collaborating with the City of Troy on this project. 

Updates:

Grant Funding:

The total River Connectivity / Low Dam Removal project is anticipated to cost approximately $12 million. $11.7 million of grant funding has now been secured. Additional grant applications are still being considered. 

Awarded grants include:

  • $3.5 million through the H2Ohio Rivers Initiative
  • $750,000 from the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission's Carbon Reduction program
  • $3.6 million from the Ohio EPA Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program (Troy's portion) 
  • $1.9 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Fish Passage Program (Troy's portion) 
  • $2 million in funding from the State of Ohio's 2024 Capital Budget Bill

Dam Removal Project FAQs:

Because the dam has opened, the water level is lower. However, residents and visitors should note that this configuration is not permanent. The reconstruction project includes a levee shelf that will help to reshape the river. Sediment that has been deposited in the pool of the dam will be removed or repositioned as part of the restoration process.
Restoration plans include a recreational trail on the southwest side of the river, providing a connection to Troy's downtown. A new spillway system will refill the harbor at Treasure Island Park. Public river use will be incorporated through a new kayak launch and multiple river access points to support recreation. Oxbow restoration near Miami Shores Golf Course will help convey floodwaters through major storm events.

Freshwater musselsNative freshwater mussels live on the river bottom–and, for the health of the river, they need to survive the upcoming restoration work. Mussels are natural filters: by feeding on algae, plankton, and silts, they help purify the water and keep it clean and healthy. Mussels are also an important food source for many species of wildlife, helping to transfer nutrients into the substrate, the layer of nutrient-rich sediment on the river floor. Because these animals are so valuable to river health, state and federal policies require protection for freshwater mussels during river reconstruction projects.

Thanks to an amazing crew of City staff and local volunteers, as well as personnel from Miami Soil & Water Conservation District, Miami Conservancy District, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and BioSurvey Group, thousands of mussels were moved upstream in summer 2025. They were relocated near the section of the river that borders Duke Park.

Removing the low dam means that instead of one oxygenated pool (just below the drop of the dam) multiple oxygenated pools will be available to fish from Treasure Island to the former dam. That means more, higher-quality spawning habitat for fish like smallmouth bass. More pools also mean a higher population of “forage fish” like minnows and shiners. Data shows that free-flowing water hosts more “sporting fish” than dammed rivers.