A federal judge in Anderson may not be able to order the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to remove a third dam from Twelve Mile River but, then again, he shouldn’t have.

Three years ago, the DNR accepted a $12.5 million settlement from Schlumberger Technology to correct the environmental damage done to the waterway as a result of more than 20 years of toxic dumping. For its part, the firm also agreed to pay the costs of removing two dams from the river so that water could flow to Lake Hartwell, carrying with it sediment needed cap the pollution that had made its way to the lake.

Schlumberger, although slow to fulfill its obligation, is finally doing its part.

A host of environmental groups are advocating that a third dam be removed, allowing the entire river to flow freely. It’s an environmentally sound thing to do, to say nothing of the positive economic impact opening the entire river up would have on sport fishing and river activities.

But, DNR doesn’t want to do it. The agency claims it’s not the best way to spend the money. Getting rid of the dam would cost $7.7 million. DNR would prefer to dole out smaller amounts for fish habitat, fishing piers, off-site recreational fishing and $1.5 million for an Anderson County events center.

They’ve been sitting on this money — earning interest — for three years. Now, a host of respected environmental groups has a great idea and DNR’s response is “thanks, but no thanks.”

As usual, this boils down to money. The Central-Easley water system draws from Twelve Mile River. Letting the river flow would require spending some money to build a reservoir and pipe water into it.

It shouldn’t matter. The DNR is charged with protecting and enhancing our natural resources. There isn’t any larger or, perhaps, more needy resource in the Upstate than Lake Hartwell itself. This is an easy call.

DNR needs to do the right thing … step up to its charge and protect and enhance Lake Hartwell, not build piers from which to catch fish we can’t eat.