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Sandusky River dam presents a dilemma

It's a dam dilemma.

The Ohio-American Water Co., which owns the aging St. Johns dam on the Sandusky River, neither needs the dam not wants the costs and liability that would go with continued ownership.

It was to tear it down or give it away.

And since there's no apparent party willing to tackle the needed repairs or assume the liability, down the dam may come.

But upstream, there's a campground owner and campers who depend on the dam to keep the river at a suitable level. Razing the dam to them would be damnable.

On the other hand, the Department of Natural Resources reports that removal fo the dam would improve the river for fish and other wildlife.

Whatever happens &emdash; as is normal &emdash; some people will be happy and others won't.

So it is a dam dilemma ... and not one that leands itself to a compromise solution.