In early June, Beam Suntory removed the hazardous dam located on the Elkhorn Creek behind the Jim Beam “Old Grand Dad” plant in Frankfort. The dam, constructed in the early 1900s to pull water out of the creek for fire-suppression measures, has proven to be dangerous for canoers and kayakers and detrimental to the creek’s wildlife. The Woods and Waters Land Trust applauds this effort by Beam Suntory to protect the creek, its wildlife and the people who recreate there.
“Dams impact the natural functions of a stream,” says WWLT board president Heather Housman. “Removal of the dam on the Elkhorn Creek will improve features for fishes, mussels and other invertebrates.”
The Elkhorn Creek is home to many aquatic creatures, including salamanders, newts, snakes and, of course, fish. For these animals, navigating the dam was cumbersome, and its removal makes it easier for fish to move through.
“It’s important to get the creek back to its natural state so that waterlife can use it more,” says WWLT board member Nathan Depenbrock, owner of Canoe Kentucky and Kentucky River Tours.
Images courtesy Beam Suntory
Additionally, the removal of the dam makes the creek safer for recreational use. Dams are drowning machines, Depenbrock says. Three years ago, a kayaker died in the dam’s undercurrent, one of three known dam-related fatalities in the dam’s history, and removing the dam makes the paddling experience that much safer. Easing access to the river for paddlers goes hand-in-hand with protecting the natural environment.
“The more people see the resources, the more they want to take care of it when they are educated about what's actually there,” Depenbrock says.
Paddlers should keep in mind, though, that the stretch of the Elkhorn behind the Jim Beam plant is class 2 and 3 whitewater, more suited to intermediate and experienced paddlers. If you get out onto the creek this summer, whether for sport or to more closely observe the creek’s wildlife, don’t paddle above your comfort level and always wear a life jacket.
