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Independence Low Dam Quasqueton Dam
Just before the phase-out of the CWA began in January 1934, Plans for the Quasqueton Dam were developed in May and
the City of Independence applied successfully for CWA funds June 1934, shortly after the CWA ended. Federal funding
to build a trio of small dams across the Wapsipinicon at In- was initially provided by FERA. However, the construction
dependence downstream from the city’s mill dam. On further took much longer than originally planned, so the completion
investigation by the county engineer, the number of dams of the dam was funded in the fall of 1935 by the WPA. As with
was reduced to two, and later to one. This dam, now known other New Deal dams in Iowa, the material was supplied by
as the Independence Low Dam, spans the river at the north- the State Fish and Game Commission, and the labor by the
west corner of Oak Grove Cemetery. The original plans called federal government (FERA or WPA).37
for multiple three-foot dams constructed of rock and other
materials, but eventually a single four-foot dam was con- Construction started in June 1934. The dam was 6½ feet
structed of cement and stone taken from the river. The dam high and 250 feet long. It was identified in newspapers more
was apparently constructed in four sections. The work was than once as a rock dam, but one article described cement
started in late February 1934, and was completed a month (probably actually concrete) being poured into forms for the
later.35 dam, so it may have been constructed of both rock and con-
crete. It is not clear which engineer was responsible for the
The dam served a variety of purposes, but the main one was dam’s design. Newspapers mentioned that a state engineer,
to prevent fish from perishing in large numbers during times Mr. Baumer, conferred with local relief officials on the project
when the water flow over the mill dam was shut off by the and visited the site at least once. But the Buchanan County
power company that owned it. During these periodic water engineer, R. W. Gearhart, also visited the construction site,
flow shutoffs, fish that had migrated upstream during high so it is not clear what roles the two engineers had in the
water were trapped in small pools below the power compa- design.38
ny’s dam where most died. Other benefits of raising the wa-
ter level between the two dams included beautifying the river Although it was originally expected that the dam would take
and promoting more sanitary and healthful conditions dur- about five months to complete, construction actually took
ing periods of low water.36 A second dam constructed of rock much longer. Work was delayed in November 1934 when
now spans the river approximately 100 feet downstream the uncompleted dam was damaged by high water. Work
from the original dam. Historic aerial photographs indicate resumed in spring 1935, but for unknown reasons the dam
that this dam was in place as early as the late 1930s. Noth- was not completed using FERA labor. It may be that the fed-
ing was discovered about the construction of this second eral government began winding down FERA funding after the
dam, including whether it has any New Deal connection. WPA was established in May 1935. Whatever the reason for
View of Quasqueton Dam from downstream, 2009 (from USFWS).
12 University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist
