Patrick County supervisors voted Aug. 11 to allow state and nonprofit partners to move forward with removal of four in‑stream structures on the South Mayo River near Stuart, citing public‑safety hazards, bank erosion and the need to restore fish passage for a state‑endangered species.

The request came from Louise Finger, a stream restoration biologist with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, who said the project covers four structures including George’s Mill Dam (on private land), abandoned railroad bridge piers near Commerce Street and a partially breached Clark Power and Light Company dam on county property. Finger told the board the dams create turbulent recirculating currents that pose a drowning risk and that the barriers cause bank erosion and fragment habitat for the orangefin madtom, a state‑listed fish.

Finger said the work is already funded through a state wildlife grant and an eco‑ambassador council grant from the Dan River Basin Association, and that project partners are contributing in‑kind support. She asked the county to sign landowner agreements and permit applications and to provide limited in‑kind assistance on site — for example, a county heavy‑equipment operator to help mobilize equipment for a few days. The presenters said they were not seeking cash from the county.

Project scope and method: presenters described breaking up concrete piers and low‑head dam structures with a hydraulic hammer, moving material out of the active channel onto eroded banks, regrading and revegetating the banks, and cutting and removing a metal footbridge as needed. Finger displayed before‑and‑after photos from similar projects, and said the earliest possible start would be October, with a later window as late as March depending on permitting and conditions.

Board action and next steps: after questions about landowner agreements and the county’s level of participation, a supervisor made a motion to approve moving forward and to authorize county signatures on permits and landowner paperwork. The motion was seconded and passed. Supervisors voting in favor recorded their votes during roll call; no opposition was recorded on the motion to proceed. County staff will follow procurement and permit protocols and coordinate in‑kind contributions with project partners.

Why it matters: county‑owned structures were cited as ongoing public‑safety liabilities; presenters referenced historical drownings at George’s Mill and structural deterioration on the partially breached dam and adjacent pedestrian bridge. Removal is intended to reduce immediate safety hazards, halt bank erosion, and allow genetic mixing and upstream movement of the orangefin madtom, which project biologists said increases long‑term resilience for that population.

The presenters said required cultural‑resource reviews (Phase I historic studies) and fish and mussel surveys have been completed and that permit drafts are ready; the county’s signatures are the remaining step before construction scheduling. The county’s in‑kind contributions will be coordinated with project partners and are contingent on standard procurement and safety oversight.