How would removing Daniels Dam in Patapsco River help wildlife? $2 million to be used for study.

BALTIMORE -- With the help of nearly $2 million in federal funds, a nonprofit is going to start looking at what the Patapsco River could look like without Daniels Dam.

American Rivers, based in Washington, D.C., argues that removing the dam would make things better for wildlife -- and for people, too.

Since 2009, it's removed three other dams along the river with the goal of restoring the ecosystem back to its natural state.

Water has been cascading over Daniels Dam for centuries, but if American Rivers has anything to say about it, the dam will be gone. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, recently allocated $1.8 million to the nonprofit to start a study.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has the final say if the dam will be removed.

"We'll work through a process, assuming the state decides to move forward with dam removal at the site," said Jessie Thomas-Blate, Director of River Restoration with American Rivers. "We would work through a design process with an engineering firm where we would get more input from the community," 

Thomas-Blate adds the dam is impeding fish swimming upstream and that removing it could make the area safer for people.

Multiple signs around the dam warn of dangerous conditions and that people have died there.

There's also a concern about the sediment built up behind the dam.

"One of the things that we're most aware of is that there's a flooding problem in Ellicott City and the surrounding area with the Patapsco and the tributaries to the Patapsco," Thomas-Blate said. "We don't want to exacerbate that issue with this project."

Julie Bogusz and MaryLynn Forte, who live near the river and have lived through several dam removals, are worried about losing access.

"We may lose our kayak spot because the water maybe is too shallow, but I don't know all of the ramifications [of removing Daniels Dam]," Forte said.

But, they see the benefits of dam removal.

"Once [removing Bloede Dam] was all said and done, and we could finally get to the trail, it is beautiful," Bogusz said. "People can fish, we've been seeing more people out there fishing."

American Rivers is currently working on its community outreach plan but plans to have some talks scheduled in the fall.