ROCK ISLAND, Illinois — The Rock River offers recreation and fishing for Quad Cities area boaters, but also a deadly risk. The Steel Dam between Rock Island and Milan has claimed the lives of several people in recent years, including children.
Rock Island Fire Chief Jeff Yerkey was there at the last deadly accident in June, when two boaters from Kewanee, a 21-year-old and a 16-year-old, drowned after their boat's engine died and they crossed over the low head dam.
"Just an extreme sense of sorrow, especially for the family," Yerkey said. "By the time I got there, they were already bringing some patients and some victims to the shore. It was just extremely tragic. And like I said, extremely stressful and difficult on our members."
The low head dam creates a churn of water that is difficult for even the strongest swimmers to escape. On the banks of the Rock River, signs warn visitors to "Keep Back;" the memorials of those who died at the dam are a stark reminder why.
"It's really time to do something about it," said State Representative Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island. In January, Halpin introduced House Bill 23 to the 102nd General Assembly of Illinois.
The bill appropriates $8 million from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Natural Resources for removal and modifications to the Steel Dam site.
"Trying to get that passed in the grand scheme of the overall budget will be difficult," Halpin said. "From my perspective, that cost is nothing compared to the value of the lives that we could save."
The plan to modify the steel dam has support with first responders like Yerkey.
"If they could find a way to restructure it, reconfigure it. I would absolutely support that 100 percent," Yerkey said.
However, Halpin admits the two-page bill is unlikely to pass on its own. He said he hopes to make sure funds will be included in a larger upcoming spending package.