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Ann Arbor negotiates narrower fence at Barton Dam to preserve river access
Summary
An Ann Arbor Water Treatment Plant engineer said the city and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission agreed on an alternate fencing boundary for Barton Dam that preserves public access to the right embankment and river amenities; fencing will meet FERC standards and work is expected this year.
Glenn Wizoric, an engineer at the Ann Arbor Water Treatment Plant and project manager for the Barton Dam Security Improvements Project, said the city negotiated an alternate fencing boundary with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that will protect critical infrastructure while retaining public access to parts of the site.
Wizoric said FERC reclassified the Barton Dam facility to its highest security group in 2021 and conducted a physical security audit in May 2025, delivering findings to the city in July 2025. "FERC's initial findings shown in this aerial sketch indicated that the entire site, including the spillway, the powerhouse, and both the left and right embankments, were to be secured with fencing," he said.
The presenter said the city proposed a different fence alignment that FERC approved in March 2026. According to Wizoric, the alternate route "vastly reduces the total fencing while still protecting the spillway, the powerhouse, and the left embankment." He added that the negotiated route "retains public access to the right embankment, boat dock, portage, kayak slide, and pathway atop the embankment." "This was a huge win for the city of Ann Arbor," Wizoric said.
Wizoric said keeping the right embankment open preserves a connector for the Huron River water trail and keeps open the possibility of a future connection to the Border-to-Border Trail from the west. He described those connections as important recreational and regional links for the city.
On next steps, Wizoric said the city is finalizing fencing details, including a specification that fencing shall be 8 ft tall to meet FERC requirements, and is securing a contractor to perform the work. He said the city hopes to begin construction later this summer and complete the project within the current calendar year. He closed by noting nearby amenities, including the Border-to-Border trailhead on Huron River Drive and the Barton pedestrian tunnel, and provided a city contact for questions.
