Low-lying dams drown hundreds of unsuspecting victims

Many poorly marked, lack safety features for boaters, swimmers

In this April 1, 2015 photo, a fisherman casts his line below the Scott Street dam in Des Moines, Iowa. These walls of concrete, called low-head dams, outlasted their original purpose long ago. Today they create smooth waterways that invites city planners to turn an urban river into rustic recreational space. But the seemingly gentle dams hid a a secret: they have dragged hundreds of unsuspecting people into their churning waters and drowned them. - photo by Associated Press

Dangerous Dams — In this April 1, 2015 photo, a fisherman casts his line below the Scott Street dam in Des Moines, Iowa. These walls of concrete, called low-head dams, outlasted their original purpose long ago. Today they create smooth waterways that invites city planners to turn an urban river into rustic recreational space. But the seemingly gentle dams hid a a secret: they have dragged hundreds of unsuspecting people into their churning waters and drowned them. - photo by Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa — For the better part of a century, submerged dams were workhorses of the American heartland, harnessing the power of rivers to run grain mills, generate electricity and keep lakes and ponds full of water as a hedge against drought. These walls of concrete, called low-head dams for their minimal profile, outlasted their original purpose long ago. Today, they are better known for creating the type of wide, smooth waterway that invites city planners to turn an urban river into rustic recreational space.

Associated Press

Associated Press