Boy Drowns at Riverton Dam
06-29-10
NORTH FORK, VA: Warren County deputies report that a boy has drowned at the Riverton Dam on the Shenandoah River. Rescue workers were still searching for the boy's body Tue. night (06-29). Dispatchers got a call during the afternoon Tue. that a boy was pulled under the water. Crews spent more than 4 hours combing the North Fork of the Shenandoah River where the dam is located. A family member confirmed that the victim is a 9 y/o boy named Ryan who was visiting his grandfather, who lives in the area. This is the same area where a kayaker lost his life in April. Rescue workers said the kayak was pulled underwater, after witnesses reported seeing the kayak getting close to the dam. There are signs around the boat launch warning people not to get too close to the dam.
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/97452334.html
View larger image
Yvonne Davy, grandmother of 9-year-old Ryan Warner, fights back tears during the demolition. T Rich Cooley/Daily
|
|
By Linwood Outlaw III -- loutlaw@nvdaily.com
FRONT ROYAL -- The long overdue demolition of the Riverton Dam on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River finally began Monday to the delight of many.
The general theme conveyed by those who spoke during a Monday morning ceremony that preceded the start of the demolition work was that the dam has been the scene of far too many tragic incidents, and destroying the aging structure is a must in order to prevent future tragedies.
"This dam served a purpose at one point," said Alan Weaver, a fish passage coordinator for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. "And now, that purpose no longer exists."
The concrete dam, which was built by the Town of Front Royal in 1906 in order to generate hydroelectric power, has not been used since it was decommissioned in 1930. The town received grant funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to demolish the dam, partly because officials want to enhance fish passage along the Shenandoah River and recreational boating opportunities.
However, the dam has been viewed by many as a major public safety hazard, and town officials hastened the process of having it demolished after two drownings earlier this year elevated safety concerns even more. The demolition will take about two weeks, officials said.
