25-04-2025
Coalition focuses on protecting Johnson Street Dam
ELKHART — The future of the Johnson Street Dam is uncertain.
A newly formed coalition of community members, elected officials and members of the St. Joseph River Association this week launched the Elkhart County Gives A Dam committee to focus on protecting the asset in Elkhart.
The Johnson Street Dam resides next to Johnson Street between Elkhart Avenue and Beardsley Avenue and controls the water flow from the Upper St. Joseph River to Mottville, Michigan, all the way to the Lower St. Joseph River into Mishawaka, where the nearest two St. Joseph River dams are located.
The original dam was built from logs around 1868, and eventually transformed into the modern day structure. The dam that stands today is over 100 years old, built in 1912.
'The dam provides so much for our community,' Elkhart County Commissioner Suzie Weirick said.
Energy-wise, the dam powers the equivalent of roughly 500 homes, which is not a lot, especially compared to the impact the dam has on roughly 1,000 parcels of land along the Upper St. Joseph River, in addition to dozens of tributaries that the water funnels through.
'There's bass fishing tournaments all the time, there's kayakers all the time, there's random people that put in tubes and flow down it in the summer. I paddle board on there,' Weirick said. 'There's ecosystems that have developed over the last 100 years.'
By law, companies that manage energy resources like the hydroelectric production plant that is part of the Johnson Street dam, must periodically apply for licensure through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to continue maintaining infrastructure.
Weirick said last summer AEP had a public meeting where they discussed the Johnson Street dam and licensure surrounding the property.
'They're really looking for any option, anywhere from a complete shutdown to a complete rejuvenation, and the 3,000 options in between,' Weirick said.
The company's license is set to expire in 2030, with a required decision on their intent to relicense due by late 2025. Weirick said, in trying to understand the process, she began looking into the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
'I had no idea what I didn't know,' she said. 'I got concerned. I just wanted to make sure — trust, but verify — that Elkhart County still has the Johnson Street dam when all is said and done.'
Utilities companies in possession of dams are also required to maintain the dam.
'That is truly a financial burden on anybody,' she acknowledged. 'It's a very expensive system. It's a very old dam. This current dam is built on top of the riverbed, so it's not attached to the riverbed. … It is not driven into the bedrock below the riverbed. It's a very sandy bottom and sediment keeps coming up with every storm. … It's not something that is easy to maintain and keep safe; it requires a lot of attention and AEP has been doing that and will continue to do that as long as they have their license active.'
But for the people and communities that reside along the river, the dam is something that Weirick believes is instrumental to their quality of life.
'Our property values are based on that, our property purchase price has been based on that and there are so many public launches and public accesses, there are so many people that use the river — all of us, use it as a lake,' she said.
Weirick also noted that in addition to property values, changes in the river levels could also cause changes in property tax collection for the county, Elkhart and Bristol.
'It wouldn't function as a lake anymore,' Weirick said.
Changes to the dam could also allow potential flooding on the Lower St. Joseph River, specifically, near the Elkhart Aquatic Center. On the other hand, on the Upper St. Joseph River, the lack of dam would lower water levels to the point that it would no longer be a boat-able height.
'Think about all of the development on the riverbeds on either side, the Upper, the Lower, the east, the west, the north, the south, depending on where the river is curving, all of that property is impacted in value by the river, hence, the dam,' Weirick said.
Weirick said the committee is working closely with AEP to make sure they have information as soon as possible. The Elkhart County Commissioners have also all pledged support for the project, and local state and federal legislators are also aware.
'We're all trying to work together to make sure that this is the best solution for everybody involved, which is not easy,' Weirick said. 'It's kind of a monumental task to get everybody on the same page and in the same direction.'
Community members are encouraged to visit to sign up for updates and share what the St. Joseph River means to them. Ongoing updates and community conversations can also be followed on the St. Joseph River Association's Facebook page at
'All we have right now is a voice,' Weirick said. 'Elkhart County Gives a Dam and all the social media around that is to make sure that we inform people of the process, make sure that they know when to speak out … and make sure that people are engaged and informed because our voice needs to be heard. It's better to be at the table earlier than on the table for dinner.'
