Program Goals
This program is designed to address the Governor’s direction on community infrastructure needs as stated in his 2011 address on this issue. The main objectives of the DMPG are to:
- Enhance aquatic environments and reduce long-term infrastructure costs by removing dams without an economic purpose; or
- Repair or facilitate major maintenance work on dams that serve an economic purpose and cause minimal environmental impacts, or present imminent public safety issues. Please note that the purpose of this grant program is to address failing infrastructure needs. It is not intended to fund general maintenance or to correct deficiencies in the design of otherwise structurally sound dams.
Program Objectives and Priorities
The key objectives and priorities addressed by this program are:
- Removal of impairments to watershed processes that include: connectivity; fish and wildlife passage; hydrology; sediment and woody debris transport, water quality; and fish community composition and size structure. Resolution of public safety concerns.
- Increased public involvement in watershed issues.
- Increased access to aquatic resources.
- Improving quality of life in urban areas.
- High rate of return on dam management investments.
Eligible Projects
- Removal of dams that have no economic purpose resulting in the enhancement of aquatic environments and the reduction of long term infrastructure costs.
- Repair/major maintenance of dams which have an economic purpose that are an imminent public safety issue and are deemed of unsatisfactory condition by the DEQ Dam Safety Program or are under DEQ order.
Eligible Costs
Only those costs directly associated with completing the project and incurred during the project period with the exception of engineering, design and design administration costs, are eligible for reimbursement.
Ineligible Projects
Projects with scope of work outside the grant focus area are not eligible for Dam Management Grant support. Within the focus area, the following types of projects are also not eligible:
- Feasibility or ecological studies.
- Experimental and unproven methods to rehabilitate river channels after dam removals or used in rehabilitating a dam.
- Routine maintenance activities and operational costs.
- Any project where the estimated repair/major maintenance is less than 50% of the estimated cost of replacing the structure.
- Dams that are in litigation and/or mitigation.
Eligible Grant Applicants
Any federal, tribal, local and state units of government, nonprofit groups or individuals in Michigan may apply for a Dam Management Grant.
Grant Limits & Local Committed Fund Requirements
There is no minimum grant amount and the maximum grant amount you can apply for is the amount of funds appropriated in a given fiscal year. The applicant must commit to provide at least 10% of the total project cost. The 10% may be in any of the following forms:
- Applicant’s own cash
- Applicant’s own force account labor, equipment, or materials.
- Donations of cash, materials, equipment or services by others – requires letter(s) of commitment from donors at time of application
Scores for projects where applicant commits in excess of 10% will be increased based upon the amount committed.
Applications must be in by Nov. 13, 2015. Please contact us for more information.