Rock Island Swing Bridge blamed for low water levels

Joe Harms hit the gas, and slowly but surely, his small red tractor began to pull the 33-foot cruiser out the water.

Harms, 32, had been pulling boats all week, trying to beat the elements that will make it nearly impossible to drag vessels from the banks of his family's River Heights Marina come winter.

According to Harms, this annual ritual would not have been possible this fall if it wasn't for the high water levels caused by recent floods that hit Inver Grove Heights and many other cities across the state.

He and several other residents have complained that contractors working on the restoration of the nearby Rock Island Swing Bridge have restricted the flow of the Mississippi River and caused silt to build up at the marina and a backwater channel.

"Last fall when we pulled our boats out, we did not have any issues and we never have prior to this year," Harms said. "That's been our biggest concern because now these issues are starting to affect our normal operation of business."

But the city of Inver Grove Heights says there's no way to prove the bridge project is the reason for the problems, contending there could be natural causes. One city official has gone further, accusing the marina and residents of looking for an excuse to make the city pay for dredging that would cost upwards of $60,000.

With Inver Grove Heights not backing down from its stance and the silt buildup growing worse, the marina and residents are watching their chances of a fix drying up.

The more than 100-year-old bridge is being turned into a 670-foot recreational pier set to open in the spring, a later date than expected because of the same floodwaters, which prevented crews from working on the bridge for weeks.

The causeway and barges loaded with heavy machinery, Harms said, altered the flow of the river, resulting in lower water levels near the marina's ramp. Harms said the shift in the current is also to blame for faster accumulation of silt near the marina. The silt could be cleared by dredging, but that would cost the marina tens of thousands of dollars, he said.

Harms said most of the boats in his marina need a minimum of about five feet of water to maneuver. More is needed around the ramp to accommodate equipment that's used to pull out the boats. In July, Harms said, he was hitting bottom trying to get a boat over to the ramp.

River Heights Marina isn't the only one complaining. Residents of River Road close to the Mississippi sent a petition to the city asking it to fix silt issues at a recreational channel used for pleasure boating, fishing and other activities.

"They have always been able to get out of that channel," Harms said. "It's not a coincidence that we're having a problem and they're having a problem at the exact same time when this project started."

"Next year, there will be no way to keep it at the house unless something is done," Harvey said.

When Harvey first moved to the area 20 years ago, he said the water was 8 to 10 feet deep in the channel. Now, he said, a sandbar has piled up at the inlet of the channel, causing water in some parts to be as shallow as a foot and a half.

City unconvinced

To the residents' and marina's concerns, the city gave the same response: It insists the bridge project was not the cause of the problems.

"While we don't believe that there's any proof that our construction project or the methods used to construct the project have increased or caused siltation issues, it's believed that both the marina and the residents living on River Road are trying to take advantage of the situation and have the city pay for what is likely to be expensive dredging operations," said Eric Carlson, parks and recreation director.

Harms resents the speculation that boaters are trying to bilk the city. "We're getting dumped on, and the thought that we are just taking advantage of the city is total bull," he said.

Some residents hope the Corps of Engineers, which issued the permit for the renovation project, will get involved. The Corps is reviewing whether the city is in compliance with the permit.

There is talk of a lawsuit if the city doesn't budge, but for now, all that is left for the residents and the marina to do is wait.

Harms said he remembered how he and his father supported the city in its efforts to try to save the historic bridge from being torn down as it sat vandalized and crumbling.

"We could have just said and done nothing and I guarantee that project wouldn't be there," Harms said. "I guarantee that bridge wouldn't be there. We wouldn't be dealing with this. And you almost wish you hadn't done anything when you end up having to deal with the situation like this that's occupying this much time and getting nowhere."