Reminders for Park and River Visitors: Access Restrictions in Place for Barton Dam Embankment Construction

City of Ann Arbor Barton Dam embankment construction kicked off in March 2025 and work remains in progress, through June 2027. The dam is adjacent to Barton Pond, Barton Nature Area, Bird Hills Nature Area and trails to and along the Huron River. While the river is open for recreation, boaters need to plan ahead for where they will enter and exit the water.

Visitors in the area planning to paddle on the Huron River or visit certain parks along the riverside in Ann Arbor also need to be aware of other important information and reminders:

The parking lot at Barton Nature Area is open, however, construction operations and construction traffic may be present and/or momentarily block access to the driveway, pathways and adjacent yard. 

The pedestrian bridge over the Huron River (part of the Barton Nature Area Trail) and the city canoe launch downstream of the pedestrian bridge are accessible.

Boaters

• The dock and boat portage from Barton Pond (next to Barton Dam) to the river below/south of the dam, is CLOSED for the duration of the project. 
• Boaters upstream of Barton Dam must pull their boats from the water at a designated launch point upstream of Barton Pond — for example Dexter-Huron Metropark, Skips canoe livery or Delhi Metropark, to name a few popular locations. 
• A map and details about the Barton Dam Embankment Remediation project can be found on the project webpage.

In summary:

• On-site access to Barton Pond is not permitted.
• No access at the right embankment, including the canoe portage on Barton Pond
• No access north of the pedestrian bridge on the west side the railroad crossing
• No access at the spillway
• No access at the left embankment
• Crossing railroad tracks is always prohibited by law other than at designated, posted access points.

This work at the Barton Dam embankment is required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to address seepage and stability concerns and to ensure the operational reliability of this key infrastructure component. This project is included in the city's capital improvements plan and will receive funding in the amount of $2 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (Resolution Enactment #R-24-280). Additional work will include improving site access and other dam maintenance as required by FERC. 

Updates, as available, will be posted on the project webpage and on the City of Ann Arbor Facebook and NextDoor (for city residents) pages.

An unrelated construction project is also taking place in city parks along the river, the Barton-Bandemer Pedestrian Tunnel. Visit the Barton-Bandemer Pedestrian Tunnel project page for the map and details, including project-specific access restrictions. 

All visitors to these areas, whether by land or by water, are urged to please have a plan, remain alert and to heed the posted safety restrictions, barricades and signage.

The city thanks all community members for their patience during these necessary projects.

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Media Contact:

Glen Wiczorek, PE, Senior Utilities Engineer, gwiczorek@a2gov.org