For nearly a century, a small dam on Turkey Creek in Jefferson County has threatened the survival of a tiny fish found nowhere else in the world. But after years of planning, the dam is about to come down – which will help expand the limited habitat of the vermilion darter and improve water quality for nearby communities.

After the dam is removed, the site will be restored to its natural condition, extending by a half-mile the darter’s range. The project is being coordinated by the nonprofit Freshwater Land Trust, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and support from multiple public and private partners, including Alabama Power.

The 85-foot-wide, poured concrete dam was built in the early 1920s to create a commercial fishing and swimming hole. But years ago the swimming hole filled with sediment, and now the aging dam is both an environmental problem and a safety hazard.

Read the full article at Alabama Power News