Springfield Township and Oakland County Parks & Recreation commissioned a Feasibility Study on the Mill Pond Dam to assess current conditions and determine future options for the dam (for more information about ownership and shared maintenance of the dam, please see the link on the left). Based on an engineering evaluation conducted in 2011 and a video inspection of the spillway pipe conducted in 2015, the spillway pipe is failing and is undersized to meet MDEQ standards. Further, the Springfield Township Board and Park Commission wish to address the challenges of maintaining the pond as a recreational and aesthetic asset for the town. (See Mill Pond Park Committee & Minutes for more information.)
The Springfield Township Board and Oakland County Parks & Recreation Commission approved moving forward with a Feasibility Study. Following another joint committee effort to select an engineering firm, AECOM was awarded the contract and the study got underway in October 2018.
Following a seven-month investigation which included two public information meetings, the Springfield Township Board completed an assessment of the alternatives for Mill Pond Dam at a Special Meeting on June 6, 2019. The Township considered eight different options, some of which included replacing the existing spillway, constructing a new bridge over a new spillway, or removing the dam. Each alternative was carefully analyzed using eight factors including community impact, property values, recreational benefits, historical significance, ecological and environmental impact, dam safety, and cost. A decision matrix listing the factors indicated that the preferred alternative, with a significantly higher score, was to the remove the dam and restore the river corridor with an open bottom arch culvert at the Davisburg Road crossing. This was the alternative recommended by the Township Board to the County Parks and Recreation Commission. The Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission at their July 2019 meeting assessed the alternatives and considered the Springfield Township Board’s recommendation. The Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission concurred with the Township Board’s recommendation and approved conceptually the preferred alternative.
The final submittal of the Davisburg Mill Pond Dam Feasibility Report was issued, dated August 7, 2019, consisting of around 50 pages of recommendations and over 100 pages of exhibits. See links below for the Feasibility Report, decision matrix, meeting minutes and AECOM’s proposal.