A loud cracking explosion followed the burst of smoke and water as the dam was exploded. Now water appears to be pouring over a large section a third of the way down the dam.

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From Sen. John Warner's remarks:

"Ezekiel 47:9 reminds us 'and it shall be that every living thing that moves wherever the rivers go will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish because these waters go there; for they will be healed and everything will live wherever the river goes.'"

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"Today is the day the river runs free," John Tippett, director of the Friends of the Rappahannock

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"Today is a celebration of the fruits of persistance," John Tippett, director of the Friends of the Rappahannock

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"The removal of the Embrey Dam will make the Rappahannock the longest free-running river in the Chesapeake watershed."

"The opening of our tributary rivers to our migratory fish is a tangible symbol of our efforts to help the Chesapeake Bay.", W. Tayloe Murphy Jr., Secretary of Natural Resources

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"It's a great Army day to be on the shores of the Rappahannock," John Paul Woodley, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.

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Mayor Bill Beck is introducing several officials from the armed forces and state agencies who are attending the event.

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Judge Alvin T. Embrey's grandson Tom is making opening remarks covering the history of the dam. (11:17 a.m.)

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Members of the James Monroe High School chorus opened the event with the Star Spangled Banner. (11:11 a.m.)

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Bob Wallace of Fredericksburg was the first spectator on the scene. He arrived at 5 this morning.

"It's sort of out of respect for the dam," Wallace, 54, explained.

"It's done its job well. It's a landmark."

Wallace, a librarian at Stafford High School, said he passes the dam every time he goes to school in the morning.

"It's gonna be strange. I'm gonna miss it, but I'm not going to miss portaging around it."

Wallace has been canoeing the river for years and says he's probably portaged around it 100 times or more.

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Reporter Brian Baer says that several hundred people are on the scene waiting for the event to begin. (10:19 a.m.)

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