PARSONS, W.Va. (WBOY) — A dam and reservoir that used to serve as the water supply for the City of Parsons are being removed, and the area is being restored, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced.

The deteriorating Elklick Reservoir Dam, which is south of Parsons and Hambleton in Tucker County, is being decommissioned as part of the Elklick Run Stream Restoration Project. “The dam is deteriorating, blocks wildlife passage up and down stream, and requires decommissioning,” the USFS said.

The dam was built in 1934, and the reservoir was removed from the Parsons water system in 1996. The 1.8-acre body of water is not currently being used to supply municipal water systems and has not been used since 1997, according to the USFS.

  • Top of the dam looking east (Courtesy: U.S. Forest Service)
  • Dam looking east (Courtesy: U.S. Forest Service)
  • Dam looking west (Courtesy: U.S. Forest Service)
  • Dam erosion (Courtesy: U.S. Forest Service)
  • North of the dam (Courtesy: U.S. Forest Service)
  • View of the reservoir from the Elklick Dam (Courtesy: U.S. Forest Service)

At this point, the restoration project proposes to drain the reservoir and bring the stream back to its pre-dam conditions, but how the dam will be removed is still up in the air. The Monongahela National Forest is asking for opinions from the public on whether the dam should be partially or fully removed.

Those who want to give their opinion on the restoration should send written comments to Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy, Project Leader, Northern Research Station, P.O. Box 368, Parsons, WV, 26287, fax them to 304-478-8692 or submit them online here by May 11, 2023. Include “Elklick Restoration Project” in the subject line or on the envelope.