Medford Lakes Flood Recovery

Road Repair Notice!!!

2007-12-06T09:50:00.000-05:00

MisheMokwa Trail, between Mohawk and Meeshaway Trails will be closed until repairs are made to a Culvert Pipe then runs under the roadway between Lake Kawesea and MisheMokwa Lakes.

Testimony from Councilman Weiss as presented to the Legislative Flood Remediation Hearing on 9/22/07

2007-10-02T13:20:00.000-04:00

Due to the destruction caused by a "1,000 Year Flood," (as defined by the National Weather Service), several communities in Burlington and Camden Counties were declared disaster areas by the President on July 16, 2004. The storm caused significant flooding along the north and south branches of the Rancocas Creek, a 360 square mile watershed (the largest in south central New Jersey), of which Medford Lakes is a part. Settled in 1927, Medford Lakes has approximately 1,500 homes (a third of which are owned by senior citizens). The town experienced approximately $9 million in damages to public infrastructure from the Flood, an amount 3 times the annual municipal budget.
Medford Lakes is gratified by the support and prompt concern shown to its residents by FEMA and State Emergency Management officials in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, and as of July of this year, the town has completed nearly all of its major capital restoration projects. Medford Lakes’ citizens also appreciate the support of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which has provided low interest loans for, and expedited review of, the town’s dam and lakes restoration projects.
However, over three years after the disaster, Medford Lakes is still struggling to receive FEMA public assistance for capital projects necessary for the town’s rebuilding. Without FEMA assistance or additional State relief, the citizen’s of Medford Lakes, who like other New Jersey residents pay ever increasing property taxes, confront stark choices.
Financial Impact of Flood Recovery
The precursor legislation (S2636) to the 2003 Bond Act was originally proposed as a grant program to fund major dam restoration and infrastructure projects. The legislation that ultimately passed under S2182 changed the funding for such projects to a loan program. While the availability of these funds has been instrumental to the survival of Medford Lakes, the change to loans from grants will have a lasting negative impact on Medford Lakes and other small communities affected by the 2004 floods. Without FEMA assistance or State-sponsored debt relief, the average homeowner will see an increase of $7,500 or 23% over the next 20 years, which equates to approximately $11.25 million. In a town where 98% of the municipal budget is funded by homeowners and where State aid is generally low, this increase will undoubtedly force many seniors with limited financial resources and middle income residents to move from their homes.
Cost to Citizens of Medford Lakes is disproportionate to the benefit realized by the State
Restoration of natural resources in Medford Lakes benefits the entire Rancocas watershed through cleaner water, healthier ecosystems and flood control. Medford Lakes’ investment in natural resources recovery benefits the State environmentally and fiscally, because such investment makes New Jersey more livable and attractive for individuals and families who seek to make New Jersey their home. It is appropriate and necessary that State grant aid be applied toward these types of large scale, critical infrastructure capital projects.

Rigidity of FEMA regulations stall and in many instances prevent timely and cost effective reconstruction of vital natural resources and public infrastructure
FEMA public assistance regulations, which reimburse solely the cost of "what was there" before the flood, do not adequately account for State regulatory requirements that mandate new construction standards or methods for large capital projects. FEMA public assistance regulations also, at times, do not facilitate cost effective solutions to disaster recovery projects. Medford Lakes’ approach to natural resource restoration saved time and money, yet FEMA regulations do not recognize such effort. Small towns like Medford Lakes should not have to fight our own government to receive necessary and appropriate public assistance to rebuild after a natural disaster.
Requested Action
The citizens of Medford Lakes support the efforts of the sponsors of S475 and A1695 to provide 50% debt relief on the dam restoration loans from the 2004 floods. In recognition of the inequity of any single municipality shouldering the financial burden of flood control beyond its borders, the citizens of Medford Lakes request that the State legislature reevaluate funding for flood control in Southern New Jersey, and allocate State aid in the form of grants to address prevention and recovery efforts prospectively and retrospectively, in the form of 100% debt relief for major reconstruction projects from the 2004 floods.
The citizens of Medford Lakes further request that their State representatives lobby Congress to amend the Stafford Act to require FEMA to acknowledge State regulatory requirements and cost efficiencies in the reconstruction of facilities eligible for public assistance.

Beach Drive Opening September 22nd

2007-09-12T21:13:00.000-04:00

Beach Drive over Upper Aetna Dam will be officially opened for traffic at noon on Saturday, September 22nd following the "Tour de Lakes" walk-bike-run. In the event of rain the opening ceremony will take place on Sunday, September 23rd.

At present we are still awaiting the energizing of the lights on the bridge, the signing of the intersections and the striping of the lanes. All of these are scheduled to occur in the next 10 days.

Join your neighbors for the Tour de Lakes at 9:00 on Saturday and the opening of Beach Drive at noon.

Beach Drive & Chicagami Trail Traffic Flow

2007-09-06T15:43:00.000-04:00

MEDFORD LAKES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
CHICAGMI TRAIL / BEACH DRIVE
REDISGNED TRAFFIC FLOW
SEPTEMBER 6, 2007
To better the safety of motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists the traffic island at the intersection of Chicagami Trail and Beach Drive is the focal point of a change in the flow of motor vehicle traffic.
The repair of the Beach Drive dam has been completed. The roadway will be open to motor vehicle traffic once the island has been properly signed and the trails appropriately striped. The traffic design has been altered to better the flow of motor vehicles and prevent accidents.
Motorists approaching the traffic island from Chicagami Trail will be directed to "keep right" of the island and make either a left or right turn onto Beach Drive once they come to a complete stop.
Motorists traveling on Beach Drive will do so in either direction as before the July, 2004 flood. Stop signs are located at either end of Beach Drive on Stokes Road and Chippewa Trail. A right and left turn lane have been added on Beach Drive at Stokes Road.
Motorists turning onto Beach Drive will either keep right and turn up Chicagami Trail or continue straight up Beach Drive over the bridge.
The only significant change in the redesign is motor vehicle traffic coming down Chicagami Trail will not cross over on coming motor traffic, on Beach Drive, stemming from Stokes Road.
If you have any questions, please contact the Medford Lakes Police Department at 609-654-2156.

Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

2007-09-05T13:57:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, September 6, 2007 at 7:30am to 7:45am the Borough will be having a ribbon cutting ceremony for the re-opening of the pedestrian walkway over Lower Aetna Dam.
This event signifies the first time since the July 12th, 2004 Flood that students walking to Neeta Elementary School will be able to use the old "Aetna Way" route.
Students returning to Neeta School for the 2007-2008 school year will do the ribbon cutting.
Mayor and Council will be on hand to answer any questions.

Tour de Lakes Walk-Bike-Run

2007-08-30T12:38:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, September 22nd, the Borough of Medford Lakes is sponsoring a "Tour de Lakes" in dedication and celebration of the recent completion of the Upper and Lower Aetna Dams damaged in the 2004 flood and the restoration of the lakes. The event will consist of a 10 K or 5K walk-run-bike. Participants are encouraged to walk a 10 kilometer tour of Medford Lakes that passes all of the major assets of the Borough (Lakes, Schools, Dams, Recreational and Municipal facilities.) This is not a race, merely a tour in the tradition of the German "Volksmarch". A commemorative pin will be awarded to participants who complete the tour. The 10K tour takes 2 to 2.5 hours to walk. If that's too much, participants can bike or take an abbreviated 5K tour. Maps will be provided and the routes will be marked. The "Tour de Lakes" will start from Beach 1, Saturday, September 22 at 9:00 AM. The walk will be proceeded by a brief dedication ceremony of the new dams at 8:30AM.

The Lakes Are Back!

2007-08-30T12:37:00.001-04:00

As anyone can see, the waters have returned to Upper and Lower Aetna Lakes.

Last week The Medford Lakes Colony completed its beach restoration project and Beach One was back in use last weekend and is ready for a great Labor Day weekend.

Beach Drive should be open for two way traffic within days pending the energizing of the electric lighting on the bridge by PSE&G. In late September, the Borough Police will be conducting traffic studies in the area and then making recommendations regarding any potential changes to traffic patterns on the bridge.

Work is progressing on the redesign of the Trading Post Way intersection with Stokes Road. This change will greatly improve traffic flows and safety for vehicles and pedestrians in the area. The work will be completed by September 6th.

Lower Aetna Dam will be officially opened for pedestrian traffic Thursday, September 6th with a brief ribbon cutting ceremony at 8:00 AM to welcome our students on the first day of school.

Northeast Remsco, the construction contractor, will be demobilizing their trailers in the Beach One parking lot by late September which will complete all the construction activities related to the dam restoration.

The Borough continues to work with FEMA, The State of New Jersey and our professionals to maximize our reimbursement for the construction costs. More information on reimbursement and final costs will be provided in the weeks ahead.

Community Update

2007-08-13T16:02:00.000-04:00

The vast majority of comments that have been received in the Borough Offices and to many of us, in person outside of the office have been extremely positive. The Engineers and our Contractor have performed admirably and despite the delays that were encountered during the project, the dams have been designed, approved, permitted and constructed in less than two years. As a point of reference, the Borough rebuilt the Mishemokwa Dam and Ballinger Dam several years ago and both dams took almost three years to complete. The NJ Department of Environmental Protection gave us their final approval on Friday, August 3, 2007. As part of the approval, the DEP Engineers expressed their dismay at the pace in which we allowed water to be impounded in Lower Aetna Lake and specifically requir ed us to fill the Upper Lake at a slower pace. The actual construction of the dams requires that work be done in a sequential manner and it is being done properly even if not as quickly as we all would want. The contractor has submitted documentation to our Engineers requesting an extension of the completion date. This information is under review and decision is expected shortly. This will drive any decision about liquidated damages and a recommendation will be submitted to Borough Council by our Engineer. The Upper Lake is being filled now and this will enable us to reconstitute both the Aetnas and the Mirror Lakes within the next co uple of weeks.

--
Richard J. Knight
Borough Manager / Clerk
Medford Lakes, NJ 08055

Dam Reconstruction Update - July 11, 2007

2007-07-11T19:06:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow brings the 3rd anniversary of "The 1000 Year Flood."

Progress continues on the Upper and Lower Aetna Dams. The basic dam structures are now COMPLETE!

The temporary water diversion on Lower Aetna is in the process of being closed off and the water directed to flow over the permanent spillways. This process should be complete by July 17th. Meanwhile, finishing work on the roads over the dams is being performed including the construction of the guardrails. Stop logs are now in place to create a settling pool in Lower Aetna to assist with the control of silt. The actual filling of Lower Aetna should begin in the next two weeks followed by Upper Aetna. Final paving of the roads over the dams will be completed in August which will complete the dam construction project.

It is anticipated that most if not all heavy equipment will be off of the Beach 1 area by the first week of August so Beach 1 restoration should be able to proceed soon thereafter. In the meantime, as a part of a transportation grant received from the state, work will commence on enhancements to Trading Post Way and the Minnetonka/ Stokes Road intersection in August.

The Borough continues to negotiate with FEMA for reimbursement on the dam construction and replacement of the sewer line that used to run through Upper Aetna dam. This is still an open issue.

Flood Recover Meeting April 26, 2007

2007-03-10T16:11:00.000-05:00

We are planning another in our series of community updates on our Flood Recovery efforts for our regular Borough Council Meeting on Thursday April 27th, 7:30 at Vaughn Hall. At that time we should be able to provide a final completion schedule as well as an update on costs, cost recovery and payment. Hope to see you there!

Welcome to the Medford Lakes Flood Recovery Blog

2006-12-16T23:00:00.000-05:00

This blog site has been set up to share information regarding the recovery efforts associated with the "1000 year" flood event that occured in Burlington County, July 12, 2004. The Borough of Medford Lakes or The Medford Lakes Colony are not responsible for the content found on this site, although individuals associated with either orginazation may post information here from time to time.

Please review the information and add comments of your own where appropriate. If you have specific questions, you are encouraged to get direct answers from official sources in The Borough or The Colony.

COMMUNITY MEETING ON DAM RECONSTRUCTION - THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2006 7:00PM VAUGHAN HALL

2006-09-28T22:22:00.000-04:00

The rebuilding of our Community continues as we move into the next phase of reconstructing the Upper and Lower Aetna Dams. As you may know, the Borough has awarded a contract to Northeast REMSCO, Inc. of Toms River, NJ to rebuild our dams and mobilization is underway and work is expected to start in October.

Our Engineering Firms, Alaimo Associates and Dewberry have scheduled an information meeting to outline and discuss with us, the planned activities and preventive measures that will be taken to ensure a safe and timely completion of these projects. Items to be discussed include the impact on surrounding homes and property, erosion control, landscape preservation, tree removal, pollution prevention, noise and dust control, traffic and safety concerns, demolition, clean up and debris removal. Northeast REMSCO will also discuss the pre-construction video and vibration monitoring requirements contained in the contract. There will also be ample opportunity for residents to ask questions of both the professionals and the contractor.

Please make every effort to attend this very informative meeting. Due to the limited parking available at Vaughan Hall, everyone is encouraged to car pool, bike or walk to Vaughan Hall. This is an important milestone in our recovery and your support in essential to a successful completion of these projects.

State Approves Lake Dredging Loan

2006-08-05T23:29:00.000-04:00

Governor Corzine recently signed into law the legislation unanimously adopted by the Legislature that approved $2.3 million in low interest, long term loans for the Colony's lake dredging project. The terms of the State debt are 2%, 20 years. This State funding will cover costs already incurred for the project, and replace any debt the Colony incurs under its $1.5 million commercial credit facility with Cornerstone Bank. The availability of this State loan provides the Colony with the necessary financial resources to complete the on-going lake dredging project. The Colony applied for funding under this loan program, with the Borough as co-applicant.

The Colony Flood Recovery Committee has been tracking this legislation, and is gratified with the support of our elected State representatives who soliding supported this critical funding legislation.

PG Weiss

Dam Construction Permits Received

2006-08-02T17:12:00.000-04:00

On August 2nd, the borough received formal permit #1238 for the reconstruction of Upper and Lower Aetna Dams. Quoted in part below:

"This permit grants permission to "reconstruct the breached dams, known as Upper Aetna Lake Dam and Lower Aetna Lake Dam located across a tributary to Haynes Creek in the Borough of Medford Lakes, Burlington County, New Jersey. PROJECT IS SHOWN ON APPROVED DRAWINGS LISTED ON PAGES 6, 7 AND 8 OF THIS PERMIT." The Permit is signed by John Moyle, Manager Bureau of Dam Safety and Flood Control.

A preconstruction meeting has been scheduled for August 9 between all parties. We will update the schedule as soon as more formal plans have been determined.

Borough receives $250,000 in extraordinary aid

2006-07-31T19:12:00.000-04:00

On July 31st, the Borough received notification of a $250,000 award of extraordinary aid from Governor Corzine and Commissioner Levin, an excerpt of which appears below:

"Dear Mayor Casey:

On behalf of Governor Jon S. Corzine and the Department of Community Affairs, I am pleased to award your municipality $250,000 in CY 2006 Municipal Property Tax Relief Act Extraordinary Aid. As required under law (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-118.36), this award must be used in your municipal budget to reduce the local property tax levy and you must amend your budget to bring this additional property tax relief to your residents."

This award is directly tied to our Flood Recovery efforts and the hard work of the Borough's CFO, Donna Condo and Manager Knight. This is the 2nd time the Borough has been awarded such extraordinary aid and, although the amount is slightly less than last year, it is remarkable in light of the States much publicized budget issues.

Borough Council has budgeted for the total costs of flood recovery in each of the last two year's budgets at approximately 16 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value. Last year's extraordinary aid covered almost all of this increase and this year's aid will cover 10 cents of the 16 cent total. While there are no guarantees the Borough will continue to receive such relief, we are grateful for this award in the midst of a state budget crisis.

Borough Council Awards Dam Construction Contract

2006-07-31T19:11:00.000-04:00

At the Borough Council meeting of July 27th a contract was awarded to Northeast Remsco Construction for the construction of Upper and Lower Aetna Dams. Northeast Remsco Construction was the lowest responsible bidder with a bid amount of $8,238,632 ($4,004,105 for Upper Aetna and $4,234,508 for Lower Aetna.) These prices were in line with the higher range of the previously prepared estimates by the Borough's Engineers and within the funding previously approved by the Borough.

A pre-construction meeting will be held in early August to kick-off the project. At this point, dam construction activities are expected to begin in late August/ early September with primary concrete work being performed in the November to February time frame.

Dam Construction Update from March 9th Borough Council Meeting

2006-03-15T12:43:00.000-05:00

At the regular Borough Council meeting of March 9th a special presentation was made by representatives of the engineering firms involved in the design of the dams for Upper and Lower Aetna. Final design documents were presented. The new dams will occupy a similar footprint to the original dams and constructed of Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC.) Upper Aetna will include a single spillway and a 22’ roadway capable of 2 way traffic and a total width of 26’. Lower Aetna will incorporate 2 spillways and a 12’ roadway for emergency vehicles only. A portage area will be included between Upper and Lower Aetna. No docks will be constructed from the Lower Aetna dam. The Colony plans to relocate the docks to Beach 1.

Spillways in both dams will be designed to pass the “100 year flood.” In the event of a more serious event, such as the July 12 flood, the dams are designed to overtop without any failure. The State requires that the dams can't change the existing flood characteristics upstream or downstream of the dams. The size of the
spillways affect how much water is passed through during any rain event. By not changing the spillway capacity, the same level of flood storage is provided to those communities as had been historically provided prior to the dam failure.

Aluminum stop logs in each dam will allow for the partial or complete lowering of the lake for maintenance purposes. The Borough will operate and maintain the dams and coordinate lake lowering activities for maintenance purposes with the Colony. Under no circumstance would stop logs be removed for rain events as the dams are designed to pass these events through the spillway or, in the event of a catastrophic storm, by overtopping.

The RRC dams themselves will require little maintenance other than keeping the grass on the dams maintained to control soil erosion and preventing the growth of shrubs on the dams.

Present best estimates for the cost of dam construction (in advance of actual bids being received) are $4.0 million per dam. This is consistent with the original 2004 cost estimates provided by the engineers but higher than the 2005 estimates. This is partially due to increased cost of steel sheeting (a significant component of the dam construction) which has gone up by a third as a result of the demand from Katrina related reconstruction activities. In addition, poor soils in the areas of the dam required a much deeper foundation then was originally hoped.

DEP Dam Safety has made final comments on the design documents and requested a redesign of the railing system which is being provided by our Engineers. Borough Council passed a resolution instructing the Borough Manager and Engineers to advertise and go to bid on the dam reconstruction. This bidding process will move in parallel with final design approval by the DEP. An approval hearing with the Pinelands Commission is scheduled for March 17th.

The engineers and members of the Flood Recovery Task Force have identified six regional contractors capable of bidding the RCC dam reconstruction project and the best case scenario would be a contract award in late April or early May. Construction is estimated to be 8 months from start to finish although the Engineers will be working with the contractor in pre bid and pre construction meetings to coordinate with the Colony’s dredging efforts and accelerate the construction timeline wherever possible. Once completed and approved, it is estimated the lakes will require 4to 6 weeks to fill under normal rainfall conditions, quicker in the event of a significant rain fall.

In earlier discussions we had hoped that the lakes could be filled in advance of the completion and final approval of the RCC dam, however, the DEP would not permit such advance filling.

As part of the construction, an RCC Pug Mill will be constructed at the Beach 1 parking area. Much of the work involved in this type of construction has to do with the excavation, sheeting and foundation preparation. Once that work is complete, the actual laying of the roller compacted concrete is a continuous 24 hour, 7 day per week operation and is expected to take a week or so to complete.

The Borough continues to work hand in hand with the Colony as well as other affected parties such as the School District to coordinate the construction and dredging effort in as efficient and safe manner as possible.

Paul Weiss reported on behalf of the Colony regarding the lake dredging project. Initial bids have been received and the Colony is engaged in active negotiations on the dredging contract. At present, a contract award is anticipated in late March or early April and the dredging project should begin by late April pending final Pinelands and Soil Conservation approval. Dredging is estimated to take approximately 5 months, weather permitting. The Borough will be coordinating with the Colony to attempt to overlap and coordinate the two projects as much as possible. The Colony has already sent special assessments to the lakefront owners on Upper and Lower Aetna and the Mirror Lakes for this work.

The dredging permit is for “maintenance dredging” to restore the lakes to their original lake bottoms. It is presently estimated that approximately 80,000 cubic yards of material will be removed from the lakebeds. The contractor will be paid based on pre-survey and periodic survey measurements, not by the truckload. Dam demolition is a part of the dam construction project and will be handled by the Borough. The Borough will coordinate with the Colony’s dredging contractor to attempt to subcontract some spoils removal where possible.

Approximately 3.4 acres of the Upper Aetna Lakebed is actually in Medford and owned by Camp Ockanickon and not the Colony. As such this part of the lakebed is in the Camp’s protected Green Acres area and will most likely not be dredged. However, the Colony hopes to work with the Camp to provide some level of weed reduction and other possible minor improvements. The Colony plans to do complete dredging up to the Borough property line.

Once the Colony is issued its permits and begins work, all residents will be prohibited from entering the lakebeds for any reason, and will not be allowed to conduct any work on bulkheads or docks until the project is completed. In particular, lakefront owners may not move or remove any sediment in or from the lakebed during the restoration process, as this would violate the expected requirements of the Colony’s permits and could lead to a suspension of the project and/or penalties and fines.

Follow the link below to view the dam design documents:
Dam Design Documents

Medford Lakes Flood Canoe Tree

2006-02-15T21:59:00.000-05:00

Medford Lakes Flood Canoe Tree
Originally uploaded by TSCMedLake.

Final Dam Designs

2005-12-24T14:48:00.000-05:00

In mid December 2006 final dam designs were submitted to New Jersey DEP and Pinelands for approval. Approval is anticipated in mid January.

Bid specifications are being developed and are anticipated to be ready for bid in late January 2006.

Assuming this schedule continues to hold the Borough presently anticipates the award of construction contracts in late February or early March 2006.

Follow the link below to view the dam design documents:
Dam Design Documents

Best Case Dam Construction Schedule

2005-07-28T21:47:00.000-04:00

Dewberry and Alaimo released a "best-case" scenario to Borough Council at the meeting Council meeting of July 14. If all goes well, this schedule projects a completion in Summer of 2006! While it will take a number of things going right, Borough Council is committed to making every effort to achieve this schedule.

Click on the link below to view the proposed schedule:

Medford Lakes Dam Construction Schedule

Colony News Update - July 15, 2005

2005-07-18T20:19:00.000-04:00

The Princeton Hydro firm is currently assessing the Aetnas lakebeds to develop options and recommendation(s) for lakebed cleaning that will also include the Mirror Lake chain. The Mirrors were evaluated prior to the disaster, and should not require any further substantive analysis. Current work-in-process includes a survey of the entire Aetnas lakebed, execution of a soil sampling protocol and lab analysis, application to the DEP for low interest loans for lakebed and stream cleaning and preparation of permit applications to the Pinelands Commission and DEP.

Princeton Hydro assisted the Colony in the preparation of its loan application to DEP for lakebed cleaning. As previously reported, the Colony is applying for $2.3 million, which represents an initial estimate of the anticipated costs of lakebed cleaning, restocking of fish life, and restoration of Jackson Park. The Borough, by resolution of Council, agreed to act as a co-applicant for the borrowing. This initial loan request is based, in part, on: (1) removing all sediment (estimated at 111,000 cubic yards) to the original lakebed bottom; (2) the sediment, once characterized, does not require any special disposal; and (3) the disposal site is nearby, within 10-15 miles.

The Board is awaiting Princeton Hydro’s report, and has not decided upon any one definitive approach to restore the lakebeds. Once the recommendations and alternatives are completed and presented to the Board of Directors, we anticipate reviewing Princeton Hydro’s findings at a members’ meeting, and are targeting September of this year. Only after receiving comments from the membership, will the Board determine how best to implement the recommendation(s) from our consultant.

Our goal will be to conduct any lakebed cleaning in conjunction with the dam reconstruction, so that the lakebed cleaning does not delay reconstituting the lakes. Since Princeton Hydro has not completed its analysis of the lakebeds, a more definitive timeline has yet to be finalized. Once such a timeline is presented to the Board for its review, we will also publish the timeline for member comment, hopefully at or before the September meeting.

If any member has a specific concern about the lakebed, please send an e-mail or other correspondence to the Colony (79 Tecumseh Trail) at ml.colony@verizon.net with a copy to Paul Weiss, Flood Recovery Chair, at pg_weiss@verizon.net. Please include the word, “Lakebed” in the subject heading. We will share your concerns with our consultants.

Please attend Borough Council and Colony meetings to remain informed of our recovery efforts.

Preliminary Dam Designs

2005-07-14T20:32:00.000-04:00

Dewberry has finished the Preliminary Dam design. As the name implies these designs are PRELIMINARY and subject to changes. Upon first review, the Borough has requested that Dewberry prepare an alternate design that would widen the Road on the Upper Aetna Dam to permit two way traffic. Borough Council, the Manager and the Borough Engineer will be reviewing these designs in further detail over the next several days and further revisions will no doubt be forthcoming.

Click the link below to view the designs in PDF format. This is a 2.5 mgb file and is best viewed with broadband internet connections (cable modem, DSL, etc)

Medford Lakes Preliminary Dam Design

Colony News Update - July 1, 2005

2005-06-25T09:52:00.000-04:00

The Borough at its June 23, 2005 meeting had positive and some not so positive news to report to those in attendance.

In furtherance of their on-going collaboration, Colony and Borough representatives and their respective engineers met to review opportunities to share data and work assignments as part of the effort to advance the recovery timeline and promote efficiencies. The engineers from Alaimo Group, Dewberry-Goodkind, and Princeton Hydro committed to work as a team to meet the needs of our town, so that we recover from last year’s disaster in the shortest possible timeframe. Toward that end, the team identified certain site survey work as an activity, where the workload would be divided and data shared amongst the professionals. This work is scheduled to begin the week of June 27th, with soil borings for the geo-technical survey to begin mid-July. The Borough and Colony agreed to hold future joint meetings with their engineers to facilitate the overall recovery process.

Council expects to receive a revised timeline from its engineers on the dam reconstruction projects in early July, at which time, the new project plan will be made available to the community on the Borough weblog, www.medlakeflood.blogspot.com, and the Colony News.

In addition to a discussion of timelines, Council also reviewed comparative conceptual drawings of the Lower Aetna Lake dam showing the relative footprint of an earthen-type and roller compacted concrete structures. Borough engineers had previously opined that we would not realize a substantial cost savings building an earthen-type dam versus an RCC dam, and prepared drawings at the request of the Borough to demonstrate the relative size of the two dam types. After discussing aesthetics, impact to adjacent property owners, and safety concerns, Council opted not to pursue further analysis of the larger earthen-type dam and to proceed with a roller compacted concrete structure, which will be the same material contemplated for the Upper Aetna, Beach Drive, dam.

On the financial front, the Borough and Colony both reported that FEMA has denied their respective applications for public assistance for the Lower Aetna Dam. The Colony and Borough will consult with their advisors to determine further action with FEMA. Council approved a resolution agreeing to be a co-applicant with the Colony as it pursues low interest loans from the DEP for lakebed cleaning and related projects. The Colony will make application to the DEP for approximately $2.3 million by the end of June. Also, in addition to the recently approved DEP $110 Million Dam Restoration Loan Program, which can be used to fund dam reconstruction projects, the Borough announced that it has been awarded a $971,500 grant for flood recovery from the State of New Jersey.

As always, please attend Colony and Borough meetings to stay informed of our progress toward complete recovery. Information can also be found on the Borough weblog at www.medlakeflood.blogspot.com

Report on the May 26 Town Meeting

2005-05-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

Borough Council held a Town Meeting at Neeta School on Thursday, May 26, where, amongst other business, the Borough’s engineering firm presented the preliminary plans for rebuilding the Aetna Lakes dams. These same plans were also reviewed with DEP Dam Safety earlier that week, and, as reported at the Town Meeting, were well received by the Dam Safety staff.

Our engineers stated that the DEP has agreed with the Class II design classification for the dams, pending further supporting calculations and other back up data. Our engineers also indicated that the DEP reaffirmed their desire to expedite the review process and was even willing to conduct on-going reviews to further speed the process. If all goes well with the information exchange with the DEP, the engineers anticipate having preliminary approval sometime in July of this year, with final design plans and permits issued by the end of the year.

Between now and the end of the year, in addition to the design work, the Borough will be engaging contractors to conduct geo-technical analysis to access the soils at the proposed dam sites and surveys to ensure accurate footprints for the dams. Borough administration is currently working to expedite funding for the surveys and soil samples. If we are able to secure permits by year-end, our engineers indicated that we could start construction on or about the first quarter of 2006. As discussed at prior public meetings, Council is hoping to coordinate the phases of the construction of the two dams to the extent that it is practical and efficient to do so, rather than finishing one before starting on the other.

The timeline could possibly be furthered compressed if we are able to solicit construction bids prior to final DEP approval, thereby shortening the period between permit issuance and the start of construction. Our engineers indicated that with the DEP conducting on-going reviews, this approach would be appropriate and could possibly shave several weeks off of the project plan.

The engineers also reported that winter construction is feasible, as cold weather additives could be applied to the concrete, and only snow events would possibly delay the process. The construction process would begin with preparatory work, including establishing an on site concrete production plant, in all probability at the Beach One parking area, removing the old dam remnants, setting the foundation, driving sheet pile barriers in the area in front of the dam, and setting the forms. After that activity is completed, the plans call for using roller compacted concrete (RCC) - the actual building material of the dam. The placement of the RCC is estimated to take three weeks. Once the dams are fully constructed, the concrete curing process is estimated to be one month, after which our lakes could be ready for refilling. (Let the rains begin!)

In sum, based on current information, our engineers believe that the entire construction process would be approximately six – nine months duration, depending upon weather, resulting in an anticipated completion date in third or fourth quarter of 2006. Council requested that the Engineers provide a formal revised time estimate for the reconstruction of the dams once they receive the DEP's preliminary dam design approval, presently anticipated in July. We have a long way to go, and much work to do, but this preliminary revised timeline, which assumes little if any significant interruption in the project plan, significantly shortens the earlier estimated completion date of 2008. It remains to be seen whether we will meet this objective, but the presentation by the engineering firm shows promise.

Following the engineer’s presentation, Council asked Paul Weiss, Chair of the Colony Flood Recovery Committee to provide an update on legislative activities and lakebed cleaning. Mr. Weiss reported that the Colony has been working closely with the Borough to lobby for the dam restoration funding that is now pending the Acting Governor’s signature. This legislation, if approved by Acting Governor Codey, could serve as the principal source of funds for dam reconstruction. Mr. Weiss also reported on certain enforcement legislation, which the Colony does not totally support, and is seeking to change in the near future by working with our representatives and the Office of Legislative Services.

In the area of lakebed cleaning, Mr. Weiss indicated that he did not believe that the lakebed cleaning process would interfere with or delay the refilling of the lakes, once the dams are completed. Mr. Weiss stated that the Colony Board will rely upon the advice of its consultant and will have to weigh all possibilities for lakebed cleaning, keeping a close tab on the budget associated with this activity. The range of options could be cleaning of debris only, to spot cleaning in select areas, to extensive lake bottom cleaning. One possibility may be to clean the lake bottom when the lakes are full, using special equipment.

The deadline for applying for DEP loans for lakebed cleaning projects is June 30, 2005, and Mr. Weiss stated that the Colony will be working with its consultant to accomplish the initial analysis necessary to complete the DEP application. This loan program, similar to the Dam Restoration Loan legislation awaiting the Governor’s action, would require legislative and executive branch approval prior to us seeing any state funds for lakebed projects. Subsequent to the Borough Council Meeting, the Colony Board of Directors held a Special Meeting and approved a resolution to engage the Princeton Hydro firm to advise the organization on the lakebed restoration project. The two organizations are in the process of negotiating contract terms and conditions.

To remain informed about the status of the flood recovery effort, please attend the monthly Borough Council and Colony meetings.

Flood Recovery - Update Colony News, May 27, 2005

2005-05-21T10:31:00.000-04:00

At its last meeting, the Borough reported on several matters related to the recovery effort. Borough officials met for a second time with the USDA to discuss the application for low interest loans for various flood recovery capital projects, including dam construction, lakebed cleaning and other flood damaged municipal structures. Council and the MLC passed resolutions to enter into an intralocal agreement, which would combine the lakebed cleaning and dam reconstruction projects under the Borough’s application to the USDA. Separately, the MLC plans to apply for lake restoration loans from the DEP. These loans, part of a recently announced $15.0 million program, must be appropriated by the State legislature before any funds would be available to Medford Lakes.

The State Assembly recently voted 77-0 to approve funding the Dam Restoration Program. With this action, and the State Senate’s unanimous approval, the legislation proceeds to the Governor’s office for further action. The Colony has actively tracked the progress of this legislation and will be corresponding with Acting Governor Codey. Council also authorized our engineers to proceed with soil borings and the site survey necessary for the final design of the dams.

Traffic volumes and student safety at the intersection of Trading Post Way and Tabernacle Road were also raised at the Borough meeting. The Borough is investigating several options to improve pedestrian and student safety until Lower Aetna Way is reconstructed over the Lower Aetna Lake Dam. Ideas discussed at the meeting run the gamut from increased signage and traffic restrictions to spanning the breach at the former Lower Aetna Way Dam with a temporary bridge. The Borough is also soliciting help from residents can serve as crossing guards at the Stokes Road, Trading Post Way and Tabernacle Road intersections for after school programs. Residents interested in this paid position should contact Rich Knight, Borough Manager at 654-8898.

Flood Recovery - Update Colony News, May 20, 2005

2005-05-13T23:21:00.000-04:00

As previously reported, Borough Council announced that they received the Conceptual Drawings for the reconstruction of the Upper and Lower Aetna Lake dams from its engineers. The preliminary drawings may be viewed on the Borough’s weblog at http://medlakeflood.blogspot.com. A meeting with DEP is scheduled for Monday, May 23 to review the drawings and other pre-application materials.

Representatives of the Colony testified at the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee and Budget Committee hearings on the pending legislation to fund the restoration of the Aetna dams and other related legislation concerning the dams. The funding legislation passed both Committees unanimously and is scheduled for a vote of the full Assembly on May 16, 2005. If the funding measure passes the Assembly, the legislation will then be forwarded to the Acting Governor for review and action.

Other legislation that would increase the enforcement powers of the DEP has been proposed and scheduled for Assembly vote on the 16th. This legislation consolidated under S1895 would enhance the DEP’s ability to enforce regulations against dam owners and operators, and assess penalties and fines for non-compliance. Importantly, the legislation, as currently drafted, would allow DEP under certain circumstances to assess individual property owners in the community if the owner and/or operator of the dam failed to meet its obligations under the law and DEP expended funds to achieve compliance on the owner/operator’s behalf. Representatives of the Colony, while supporting the concept of enhancing DEP powers under the Safe Dam Act, testified against the proposed legislation.

The Flood Recovery Task Force is currently conducting research on similar dam projects within the state in order to for us to benefit from the experiences of others. The next meeting of the Flood Recovery Task Force will be held at the home of Chris Miles, 16 Tahteepay Trail (off Chicagami Trail) at 7:00 pm on Monday, May 23rd. The Task Force will brief out on the progress for the current research and plan the actions for its next phase, as well as identify other potential opportunities to support the efforts of the Borough and Colony. Please plan to attend this important meeting, and as always, please attend the monthly Borough Council and Colony meetings to stay informed.

Flood Recovery - Update Colony News, May 13, 2005

2005-05-05T15:05:00.000-04:00

At its April 28th meeting, Council announced that they had received the Conceptual Drawings for the reconstruction of the Upper and Lower Aetna Lake dams from its engineers. Council indicated that it will endeavor to post the drawings on the Borough web site and/or on the outside wall of the Borough office for residents to review. Council anticipates that the engineers will meet in mid-May to review the drawings and other pre-application materials with DEP Bureau of Dam Safety. Additionally, Council is planning to have another town meeting so that the engineers can review the plans and drawings with residents.

There are still many pending questions concerning the final design of the dams, including whether the Upper Aetna (Beach Drive) dam should remain as a public-access road. Council will determine this particular issue in the future, based on financial, public safety and other considerations.

Based on the engineers’ pre-application materials, both the Upper and Lower Aetna dams are proposed to remain as Class II dams. A Class II dam requires the spillway to handle one half of probable maximum precipitation (PMP), which equates to approximately 15 to 17.5 inches of rainfall during a weather event.

Once DEP approves the pre-application materials, final design work begins, with a Dam Safety Permit being issued when our engineers satisfy all design requirements. In addition to the Dam Safety Permit, several other permits may also be required including, a General Permit No. 18 (for freshwater wetlands and transition area activities), a General Permit No. 1 (for storm water management), and a General Permit No. 10 (for stream crossings). Moreover, the Pinelands Commission also has jurisdiction to approve the project and will most likely be concerned with wetland protection, minimizing vegetation disturbance and removal, protection of threatened and endangered plants and animals, non-degradation of groundwater and surface water, protection of cultural resources, and other environmental issues related to dam construction. In short, we potentially have numerous administrative hurdles yet to jump before the construction phase. Stay tuned and remain informed by attending Borough Council and Colony meetings.

Flood Recovery - Update Colony News, April 29, 2005

2005-04-22T07:55:00.000-04:00

The Colony reported at its April monthly meeting that it anticipates entering into a consulting agreement for the lakebed remediation project by the end of the month. The cost and scope of lakebed cleaning will be determined once the consultant evaluates the lakebeds and the Board of Directors reviews the matter. MLC is also working collaboratively with the Borough to explore alternatives to cleaning the lakebeds, and both parties are discussing a possible “intra-local agreement," whereby MLC would permit the Borough access to the lakebeds for cleaning in conjunction with the dam reconstruction effort. MLC is also working to maintain the other lakes in town, and will, once again, be treating this summer to control vegetative growth.

At the Borough’s April 14th meeting, Council reported that our engineers should meet their scheduled May 1st commitment for submitting the pre-application paperwork to the DEP, including conceptual designs for the dams. Council agreed to present the conceptual designs at an upcoming meeting, so that residents may have an opportunity to examine the plans. It is anticipated that the conceptual designs will call for the new dams to occupy a similar “footprint” as the prior structures, thereby hopefully avoiding the possibility of encroaching on properties abutting the dams. As reported by a representative of the Alaimo engineering firm, this can be accomplished using “roller compacted concrete” to build the dam infrastructure. This is apparently different than the approach being taken by Camp Ockanikon in the reconstruction of the Lake Stockwell dam, which is not space restricted in the same manner as the Aetna dams. This fact and others make our reconstruction project somewhat different than the Camp’s, although Task Force members will endeavor to maintain communication with the Camp to share information that may allow us to shorten our timeline to complete recovery of the lakes. Council also reported that they have received proposals to conduct geotechnical and topographic surveys of the Aetnas, pending DEP’s review of the pre-application documentation.

Recently, MLC and Borough representatives met with municipal staff from Sparta, NJ, where a natural disaster in 2000 caused significant flooding and damage to public and private infrastructure, including dams. The folks at Sparta were very helpful and provided good suggestions for how Medford Lakes should manage its disaster recovery. The take away from the Sparta meeting is that, in order to maximize our position with FEMA and otherwise control the financial impact of the disaster, we should seriously consider engaging a project manager, who would be dedicated full time to oversee the recovery process. Toward that end, the Borough is looking into hiring a project manager to focus on flood recovery. Anyone interested in this position should contact Richard Knight, Borough Manager at 654-8898.

In support of the Borough and Colony, residents in the Flood Recovery Task Force plan to interview dam owners who have done similar restoration projects. The Task Force intends to review 125 dam projects, beginning with seven basic questions to determine the scope of their project. The Task Force is looking for at least 30 volunteers to contact owners to ask these basic questions. Each phone call should only last roughly 5-10 minutes. The goal is to complete the phone survey by May 20th. Individuals who wish to volunteer should attend a brief 45-minute orientation meeting to receive information packets, including a list of contact names, numbers and the questions. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 10th at 7:30pm at Vaughan Hall Community Center. If you have any questions, please call Carl Pellegrino at 654-0845. The value of this information is measurable by having our community restored earlier. Please attend and bring a friend.

The Flood Recovery Task Force, a group of concerned residents, meets periodically to assist the Borough and Colony with various projects. All residents are encouraged and welcome to attend and participate. Anyone who is interested, please send an e-mail to floodrecovery@yahoo.com. Please attend Borough and Colony meetings to remain informed of our recovery progress.

Flood Recovery Update - Colony News, April 15, 2005

2005-04-15T08:50:00.000-04:00

Colony Flood Recovery Update

There has been significant activity recently with regard to the reconstruction of the Aetna dams and other flood recovery efforts.

Our next major milestone for dam reconstruction is for the Borough’s engineers to complete and submit the conceptual design of the dams , currently scheduled for May 2nd. While Council has indicated that no revision to the original time line will be developed until the engineer’s submission is approved by DEP, Council believes that the project can be accelerated based on discussion with its engineers. (DEP has also recently re-affirmed its commitment to expedite their technical review of any of the applications resulting from last summer’s flood.)

The Colony is currently in the process of contracting for an engineering consultant to assist with an assessment of the lakebeds to determine how to address lakebed cleaning. The Colony has sent out requests for information to potential firms, and is targeting the end of this month to have the consultant on-board.

On the funding front, Borough and Colony representatives have been actively pursuing possible State and federal sources of funding for flood recovery projects, including lobbying State government to obtain the necessary financial assistance to fund dam reconstruction. To-date, the State Senate has approved legislation that would allocate low interest, long term, loans to Medford Lakes, but the Assembly has yet to act on the legislation. The Colony and Borough are lobbying key Assembly representatives and leadership in an effort to move the legislation to final vote.

Colony and Borough representatives also met with the US Department of Agriculture, which has been authorized to make low interest loans available to Medford Lakes for numerous projects, including dam reconstruction and other public infrastructure repairs and improvements. The Borough and Colony are collaborating to complete pre-applications for the dams and lakebed cleaning, and both have already submitted pre-applications to USDA for other flood recovery projects. Borough and Colony representatives will also be attending a briefing this month by the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust, an organization that may also be able to offer financial assistance for our various flood recovery projects. Also, the Colony will be re-submitting its application for funding to the Small Business Administration by the end of this month.

The reimbursement of costs for the Lower Aetna Lake Dam reconstruction is still under review with FEMA. Both the Colony and Borough have submitted voluminous documents to the government, but no decision has been made to-date.

As for the litigation, the Colony has been named as a defendant in three lawsuits, which have been consolidated under one judge. The Borough is expecting that it will receive legal papers soon, and be named as a defendant in the litigation. The Borough also anticipates that its legal fees will be covered under its policies of insurance. Recently, the Colony received notice that one of its insurance carriers has agreed to provide a defense to the litigation, and the Colony is communicating with this insurer to understand the details of its coverage position. The Colony is also actively pursuing other policies of insurance to cover the legal costs of its defense.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? A group of concerned residents has formed a Flood Recovery Task Force to assist the Borough and Colony. The Task Force is developing a plan to research the performance of dam construction firms and seeking out the lessons learned from other municipalities who’ve built dams before us. With over a hundred dam projects to research, the Task Force needs your help. If you’re able to make a few phone calls to help out with the initial screening, please contact Carl Pellegrino at 654-0845 or send an e-mail to floodrecovery@yahoo.com.

As always, we urge you to attend Borough Council and Colony meetings to stay informed about the recovery, and will endeavor to provide periodic updates through the Colony News.

Dam Restoration Scheduling Questions

2005-03-10T08:17:00.000-05:00

The following questions were raised with regards to the preliminary dam restoration schedule developed by the Borough's Engineers and previously published. They are being researched and a response will be posted in the next 2 weeks.

1) Why does the borough have a 12 months timeline for DEP final design and application, when DEP estimates 3 to 6 months or shorter?

2) What constraints does the borough have with the selection of the design engineers? Is it still open for Lakes Restoration Task Force to select an engineer that we research that has a proven track record with the DEP?

3) How quickly can the borough engage this engineering firm and start commence designing?

4) Would the Borough be able to raise the revenue to support construction in 2006 if the permitting was accelerated. How?

5) DEP states in general a class 2 dam can be construct is 3 to 4 months. Why is ours scheduled to take 18 months.

6) Isn't it a necessity that the colony be prepared for the possibility of an accelerated timeline with respect to dredging and cleanup. Has the colony revisited the dredging and cleanup needs and questioned when this can be done.

Letter to Council Questioning Dam Restoration Timeline

2005-03-10T08:16:00.000-05:00

I attended the February 10th Borough Council meeting, at which the dam rebuilding timeline was presented to those in attendance. While there were many questions on why it is projected to take eighteen months for the construction, I never felt that any of the borough officials or engineers had truly addressed what residents wanted answered. Although the engineers from Dewberry and Alaimo described the dam engineering and construction process as best they could in laymans terms, their responses, as well as those from the borough officials, seemed to miss addressing the essence of what was being asked. Perhaps this is why that same theme of questioning was repeated over and over by many residents throughout the meeting, even to the exclusion of any question being asked about the 12 month permit application timeline. I walked away feeling somewhat empty.

Not satiated with the information received from the borough, I embarked to find the answers myself. And it is that information that I have gathered which I wish to share with you. As you are aware, the first step in the process is the pre-application phase, in which the hydraulic and hydrologic (“H&H”) study is performed. As our engineers are on target to complete this for submittal to NJDEP’s Dam Safety Section for approval by May 1st of this year, I’ll use this as my starting point. The first place I looked was in the report prepared by the Interagency Waterway Infrastructure Improvement Task Force. I assume that you are familiar with this report. It can be found posted at www.state.nj.us/dep/damsafety/task_force_find.pdf. In this report, “Finding 2" is “The Permitting and Regulatory Process,” which had evidently been prepared just for the purpose of providing general information on the permitting process for dam construction specifically for our flood event. According to this report, once NJDEP receives the H&H study, their technical review is expected to take from 3-4 months. By that accord, we could expect that review to be approved (assuming that no further revisions are necessary) somewhere between August 1st and September 1st. Borough Council has estimated July 2005, a deviation which is certainly in the same ballpark.

However, it is at this point where the information I have gathered differs drastically from what Borough Council has presented and I need to share this with you. The task force report continues its discussion of the permitting process, “Upon approval of the H&H analysis, the applicant’s engineer should proceed with final design of the dam, along with preparation of construction plans and specifications. This will generally take the design engineer 3-6 months to complete. Upon completion, the application can be submitted to the NJDEP for review.” As you are aware, Council’s timeline calls for a 12 month final design process, targeting completion and submittal to NJDEP by July 2006. This is a significant difference in timeframes, even considering that the Borough has two dams to completely rebuild and one to repair.

I later noticed that “Finding 2" was prepared by the “FEMA Environmental Officer,” not NJDEP. We certainly would want to have first hand information on this, so I phoned NJDEP to ask about this - to see if their Dam Safety Section was in agreement with FEMA’s time projections for permitting. The person I spoke with was Dewey Lima. Mr. Lima told me that 3-6 months was certainly “ballpark,” if not even a little generous. He said that it depends on how badly the applicant wants it in. Some applicants get their permit application submitted within a week or two of their H&H study approval although up to three months is common. Mr. Lima told me that in some rare instances, some engineers even get their permit application submitted at the SAME TIME as the H&H study - although it many times requires some revisions, based on DEP review of the H&H and is not a recommended approach. With this in mind, the 12 month timeline for preparation and submittal of the final design and application for even three dams, as our engineers are offering, appears most unreasonable.

Mr. Lima stressed that the timeframe for rebuilding is really dependent upon how much the dam owner pushes (for the engineer to turn around documents quickly), and the quality of the engineering firm. He said, in many cases, permit issuance may take as long as 2-4 years when DEP gets into a “back and forth” for revision requests from inexperienced or low quality dam design engineers. As for long time periods to permit and build dams, Mr. Lima indicated that in his experience it is very often due to intentional drag on the part of the applicant (because of wanting to delay or spread out cost outlays) or going through iterations of revision cycles with low quality engineers.

The permitting is an area where we can do better than what is being proposed, much better, and I have a simple solution to offer. NJDEP Dam Safety Section maintains a database on all dam construction projects which they regulate within the state. Among the information contained in this database are the dates of all key milestones in the permitting and construction process, e.g., submittal dates for H&H, approval for H&H, submittal dates of permit application, approval dates of permits, and the dates of construction starts and completions. Now how useful could this be? A simple analysis of such a report can determine which dam permits were filed and approved in the shortest period of times, and by contacting the dam owner to find out which engineering firm was used, we would know which firms are on the “A” list for doing these projects quickly and correctly. (Short timeframe between H&H approval and permit application approval means less time lost to revision iterations.) Similarly, this simple database report can serve as a screening tool for engineering firms. If Alaimo has done several, including ones in Smithville and Pemberton, lets look up the statistics for the permitting process for those dams. If Dewberry has done 100, and Peter Black has personally done 10, let’s look at the statistics for those dams. However, in contrasting the information that I have obtained on this, and the 12 month time estimate which they have offered to the Borough, it appears that we can do better. This may sound harsh, but it certainly isn’t unfair. Minimally, this is a discussion which needs to take place with our engineers.

Which engineering firms have submitted final design plans within a week or two of H&H approval and has had their permits obtained within three months? The information is there for the asking (so I’m taking). Mr. Lima asked for a simple letter addressed to him to request that information from their database. I will share this information with Council in hopes that you take a critical look of which firm you will be entrusting for the timely restoration of our lake community.

The back half of the timeline to examine is the actual dam construction, which is the basis of my original hunt for information. Mr. Lima indicated that the timeline for dam construction depends on number of factors, including hazard classification, but that 3-4 months to build is typical if there are no extraordinary issues, and that sometimes it may take 6-8 months, for example, if there is a lot of "downtime" between phases of a project. He did caution, however, that each dam has its own unique aspects, so it not always equal to compare dam construction of one to another. The estimate of our engineers is 18 months for the construction of two complete dams and the repair of another. Again, this seems to be beyond what is reasonable, especially considering the economies of scale by doing three in phases. For example, six months per dam for three dams is eighteen months, but for that calculation, after each six month period, there would be a completed dam. If three are done at once, it shouldn’t be an average of six months for each. In that case it would be better to do them sequentially. Also, it is quite possible that the dam construction could be completed closer to the 3-4 month timeframe (per dam). And, of course, Quogue dam is a repair, not a complete replacement, so it shouldn’t take nearly as long.

Now, of course, this information is all theoretical on the timelines. As a real life “case study” to serve as a reference point, Council has posted a news article onto the borough flood recovery website “blog” regarding the reconstruction of the Seneca Lake dam in Sparta, NJ. The news article speaks to the current rebuilding of a failed dam from a storm which occurred in August 2000. Anticipating its completion in 2005 and doing the math gives us an approximately 5-year dam reconstruction point of reference - certainly in the ballpark of what Borough is looking at for Medford Lakes. That is a real life example, as difficult a pill it is for many of us to swallow.

However some further exploration reveals that the news isn’t really so bad after all. Seneca Lake failed during the “Sparta Storm” which occurred in Sussex County, NJ in August 2000. Similar to “our” flood event in Burlington County last July, it was part of federal disaster declaration, and there were multiple dam failures associated with that event. In addition to the Seneca Lake dam, were three others - the Edison Pond dam in Sparta, the Tomahawk Lake dam in Byram, and the Furnace Pond dam in Stanhope. Those are the four dams which were completely destroyed during the Sparta Storm. One of these, the Furnace Pond dam was never rebuilt, with NJDEP issuing a permit for its decommission. As for the other two - it’s really pretty encouraging information. For the Edison Pond dam, NJDEP issued a permit to rebuild in November 2003, construction commenced in June 2004 and was completed in September 2004. I don’t know why it took so long for that permit to be issued, but I’ve already addressed how to navigate around that potential problem. Three months for construction, once started, is quite good.

However, if the construction timeline for the Edison Pond dam is somewhat encouraging, the story of Tomahawk Lake is even better - and this story has pictures! Simply point your browser to www.tomahawklake.com and you can see not only what Tomahawk Lake looks like now, but how it has looked for nearly four of the four and a half years that have elapsed since August 2000. After being completely destroyed during the Sparta Storm, it was permitted and completely rebuilt in time for the 2001 summer season.

Let’s get to why and how. In my multiple conversations with Mr. Lima, one thing that he has stressed is that the timeline is very dependent upon how much the applicant wants to rebuild (quickly). In fairness, Tomahawk Lake got some sort of special permission from NJDEP to rebuild to the specification of their old (destroyed) dam, rather than being required to meet the new standards - for right now - with the understanding that would eventually need to comply with the new standards. They got this “break” because they are commercial waterpark which employs several dozen people - and their owner was very motivated to get back up and running. Obviously Medford Lakes doesn’t fit that description. However, Mr. Lima said he's seen dams take from one year to 10 years to complete and most of the time it depends on how motivated the dam owner is. (Apparently, some owners drag their feet when it comes time to pay for the construction.) Simply stated, owner motivation apparently has an impact on how quickly a dam can get rebuilt.

With this in mind, let’s turn our attention back to the Seneca Lake dam in Sparta. Following the Sparta Storm, there was legislation initiated for loans for dam repairs, just as there is today following our storm. In the course of developing the ensuing legislation, the NJ Senate and Budget and Appropriations Committee conducted a public hearing on November 3, 2000 to listen to testimony for the bill which would provide funding to NJDEP for dam, lake, and stream projects, including loan programs. One of the persons to testify was Ronald Pietranowicz, the Treasurer of the Seneca Lake Club. His testimony: “Like Lake Winona, we had a D-structure that was set up by the Arthur Crane Company back in 1950 that called for a $15-a-year maintenance fee. Subsequently, it's like pulling teeth to get some money out of some of these people. I've been threatened physically, legally, and verbally by some of the property owners that do not wish to become a part of the lake association, even though some of them even live on the lake. So we got a big problem -- is that we have no lake. We have a busted dam and about a $200,000, $300,000, $400,000 bill to pay, and I have to convince the community of about 150 property owners to pay for this. And it's going to be a tough nut to crack.”

So I would offer that the case study of Tomahawk Lake and Seneca Lake provide a good contrast on both ends of the owner motivation spectrum. The owner of Tomahawk Lake was highly motivated, while the homeowners’ association of Seneca had issues to work out. While Medford Lakes is not in the same situation as Tomahawk Lake, neither is it in the same situation as Seneca Lake. We all in Medford Lakes want our lakes back quickly!

Looking closer to home, as a member of YMCA Camp Ockanikon, I receive their newsletters and other mailings and information regarding the camp. In the Spring 2005 edition of the “Smoke Signal,” their seasonal newsletter, Fred Wasaik, the CEO of the camp, states that it is his hope that Lake Stockwell would be able to be rebuilt by this summer, although cautioning that there is still much uncertainty. Again, this timeline (if even only a mere “hope” or desire on his part) is very different then what we’re looking at in Medford Lakes. Nobody here has any hope of seeing a lake in 2005 - in fact, such a suggestion could be categorized as “laughable” - and apparently it’s looking relatively bleak up through 2008. That’s a big difference, and also needed to be explored.

Once again, I phoned Mr. Lima in the Dam Safety Section and I learned that the YMCA Camp actually had been planning to replace Lake Stockwell, and in fact had their H&H approved in November of 2003, before the flood. After the flood, NJDEP required some additional revision to their H&H which they have not yet submitted. So similar to us, the Camp is still in the pre-application phase, but a little ahead of us. Still, is approval of a permit by NJDEP and construction of Lake Stockwell’s new significant hazard dam in time to fill the lake by sometime this summer within the realm of possibility? This was the question I posed to Mr. Lima. He replied that Camp Ockanikon was sent a letter in December 2004 regarding their H&H, in which NJDEP requested their revision by April 15, 2005. Mr. Lima continued in answering my question, that under a “best case scenario” where the camp submits their revised H&H by that date and turn around their permit application quickly - requiring no revision arising from the Dam Safety Section technical review, it is possible for them to have their permit by June (of this year), and it isn’t unreasonable if they are able to go to construction right away - to rebuild Lake Stockwell’s “significant hazard” dam - that it is, indeed “possible” that Lake Stockwell could be back up toward the end of this summer. He concluded that this would be “difficult, but doable.”

In moving the calendar forward and extrapolating here, if the Lake Stockwell dam is “difficult, but doable” to be restored by the end of summer 2005, it must be “very possible,” if not “probable” (my words) that it is back in time for the 2006 summer season. If that were the case, by the time our engineers finally submit the application for Medford Lakes, Camp kids will have been boating and swimming in Lake Stockwell for at least two months prior to that milestone. Keep in mind that the YMCA Camp is not that far in front of us. The “best case scenario” timeline is based upon their submittal of the H&H revisions by April 15th, while the Medford Lakes target is only a couple of weeks later, by the first of May. Certainly, with this information, you must find the timeline which our engineers are proposing to be totally unacceptable.

In turning my attention squarely upon our situation in Medford Lakes now, I must ask myself how can there be such a disparity between what I have learned about dam permitting and construction in the real world throughout the state versus the projection provided by our engineers, but ultimately through Council. This obviously is a question which I cannot answer, and one that I will expect you eventually do answer. I fully acknowledge that I do not expect an immediate answer. Certainly you need sufficient time to digest, verify, and validate this information which I have uncovered prior to your addressing of my concerns. Notwithstanding this, I have come up with two reasons to explain the disparity, which I would also like to hear your opinions on. One is that your projections are actually “worst case scenario” despite the fact that you haven’t presented it as such. The second possibility is that perhaps Council recognizes that even if NJDEP were to issue an approved permit for construction tomorrow, that the Borough wouldn’t be able to raise the funds to start construction until 2007 anyway. To wit, the 2008 completion timeline - with the bulk of costs occurring in 2007 - has been presented as solely, purely and completely a product of the design, permitting, and construction process. If funding the project is an issue, we need to know that information.

Lastly, I’d like to make one other point. During the July 12 flood event, as identified in the Task Force findings, there was a total of 17 dams which were completely destroyed and another 28 which had been damaged in Burlington County alone. In comparison, the Sparta Storm resulted in only four dam failures and the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd in September 1999 resulted in only three failed dams. Thus, this state has never seen the likes of so many dam projects competing for the same technical review man-hours at NJDEP, and looking to engage the same engineering and construction firms - providing a virtual “slug” of projects passing through the system at the same time. Needless to say, any dam owner/applicant which finds itself at the back end of that “slug” will not see action as timely as it likes. Medford Lakes, however, may be in better position to get in front of the “slug”, as the Borough has the capacity to bond to raise the funds necessary. Most of the other failed dams are privately owned and will likely need rely on the potential NJDEP loan program, which still has yet to be enacted into law. We also have the benefit of FEMA reimbursement for probably a good share of at least one of our municipal dams.

Simply stated, it is an overwhelming conclusion of the research and fact-finding which I have conducted and presented in this letter, that the engineering design, permitting, and construction should not take until midway through 2008 to complete, as presented to the borough residents. If the reason for that completion date is because the borough cannot “raise” the money in advance of DEP’s loan program or otherwise to actually pay for the work, then we need to know that, so that we may engage in the correct discussion.

Sincerely,

Carl Pellegrino
242 Chippewa Trail

FLOOD RELIEF AVAILABLE THROUGH 2-1-1 HELPFULNESS

2005-02-27T15:52:00.000-05:00

County Victims of July Flood Eligible to Apply for Assistance

In response to the July 2004 flood, the COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) serving Burlington County, has established a Long Term Recovery Committee to implement a case management system to assist flood victims.
Requests for assistance may be made by calling 2-1-1 to reach CONTACT of Burlington County. A CONTACT volunteer will take your name, phone number and other pertinent information. This information will be provided to a case manager who will contact you and review your request.

CONTACT is functioning, in this instance, as an information-gathering agent and is not otherwise involved in the Long Term Recovery Committee’s efforts to provide case management.

“The process is in place to determine how to best distribute the remaining funds that have been collected for these victims,’’ Burlington County Chapter American Red Cross Emergency Services Director Mary Ellen Davison said. “These are to fulfill needs, not wants. Anyone impacted by the July floods are eligible to apply.’’

During the 1,000-year storm that caused major flooding in at least eight County municipalities, 950 residents were evacuated, more than 400 families were displaced from their homes.

Preliminary Project Plan and Schedule for Dam Reconstruction

2005-02-16T22:42:00.000-05:00

PROJECT PLAN & SCHEDULE

JANURAY, 2005
PRE-APPLICATION PHASE & CONCEPTUAL DESIGN 4 MONTHS
START MID-JANUARY2005
SUBMIT FOR APPROVAL MAY 1, 2005

JULY, 2005
DEP APPROVALS RECEIVE APPROVAL JULY 1, 2005 2 MONTHS

* AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED IN MID-JANUARY
* HYDROLOGIC/HYDRAULIC WATERSHED EVALUATION
* DAM BREACH ANALYSIS
* RE-EVALUATION OF THE DAM HAZARD CLASSIFICATION
* CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS OF THE DAM

JULY, 2005
APPLICATION PHASE 12 MONTHS
START JULY 1, 2005
SUBMIT FOR APPROVAL JULY 1, 2006

JULY, 2006
DEP – PINELANDS APPROVALS 3 MONTHS

RECEIVE APPROVAL OCTOBER 1, 2006 (FOLLOWING SUBMISSION)
* AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED
* SITE SURVEY & GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION
* ARCHEOLOGICAL STUDY
* STRUCTURE & HYDRAULIC PRELIMINARY DESIGN
* ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
* FINAL DESIGN DRAWINGS & SPECIFICATIONS
* EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
* OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE MANUAL
* CONSTRUCTION COST & TIME ESTIMATE

OCTOBER, 2006
BID & AWARD 2 MONTHS

DECEMBER, 2006
BEGIN CONSTRUCTION 18 MONTHS

JUNE 1, 2008
PROJECT COMPLETED

Story on the town of Seneca Lake that was flooded in 2000

2005-02-16T07:58:00.000-05:00

Freak thunderstorm damaged roads, bridges and dams in Sussex

Sunday, August 15, 2004
BY JIM LOCKWOOD
Star-Ledger Staff

Heavy rain from the tail ends of hurricanes don't bother Ray Scally of Sparta too much, just as long as the storm keeps moving.

That's because the Seneca Lake resident knows firsthand how extreme weather can cause devastation in a flash.

It was four years ago last Thursday that a freak thunderstorm stalled over Sparta Mountain, dumping 16 inches of rain in six hours.

The deluge wiped out or damaged many roads, bridges and dams in the Sparta and Jefferson areas, causing tens of millions of dollars in damages.

For many, the flood now seems like a distant memory, as most of the destruction has been repaired.

But in a few spots, such as Seneca Lake, residents are reminded of the flood every day, just by looking out their windows at the field of weeds that once was their lake.

Seneca Lake's dam was one of 30 that were damaged in the flood, and one of four that were completely breached. When the earthen embankment gave way, a 50-foot-wide wall of water swept downstream.

"It knocked trees down like toothpicks," Scally said of the water. "It was only in a matter of an hour, and the lake was gone."

Since the flood, the private Seneca Lake Association has been working on rebuilding the dam. Residents want it back, as the drained lake represented a four-season loss, as well as a reduction in property values. Now, construction of a new concrete dam is under way and is nearing completion.

"We miss the lake in winter and summer," Scally said. "We missed it for four years, but we should have the lake back to normal by next summer."

Meanwhile, in a different part of Sparta, Randy Earl's landscaped property downstream from the Sparta Glen on Glen Road became a mud bog in the flood of 2000, when the normally babbling Glen Brook became a raging river that deposited tons of mud, rock and trees in his back yard.

Since then, tedious painstaking repairs have included rebuilding the meandering stream's walls rock by rock with small boulders. There is more to do, but the work is nearing completion.

"By this time next year, everything will be done," Earl said.

Most of the flood damage to public roads and bridges also has been repaired, said Sussex County Engineer Eric Grove.

Glen Road, also known as Sussex County Route 620, bore the brunt of the damage and had to be closed for three years.

That damage was anything but ordinary, as the storm uprooted thousands of trees like twigs, washed away an entire side of Sparta Mountain and left gaping holes in the roadbed that bottomed out 100 feet down.

Glen Road finally reopened to traffic in November, after completion of a $7 million reconstruction project that involved putting in thousands of tons of rock to create a mile-long retaining wall.

There also were about 80 bridges that were effected in some way by the flood, Grove said. Of those, there are only two left that were temporarily fixed but still need permanent repairs, Grove said.

Permanently replacing those two bridges, which are in Sparta on Main Street near Glen Road and atop the mountain on Glen Road near Arapaho Trail, also should be completed next year, Grove said.

Permanent repairs to three other bridges were completed in the past month, including Station Road and Morris Lake Road bridges in Sparta, and Lake Drive bridge in Byram, Grove said.

Despite the potential for heavy rain from Bonnie and Charley, residents and officials alike are not worrying about another catastrophe because the flood of four years ago was not from a hurricane, but rather from a once-in-1,000-year flash thunderstorm.

"That was an anomaly, a unique event in meteorological terms," Grove said.

"There's nothing you can do about," Earl said. "Now, if they (forecasters) say 10 inches of rain is coming, I might be worried."

Scally also said Seneca Lake's dam will be bigger and stronger than the old one and better prepared for torrential downpours.

Still, they know Mother Nature can be fickle -- and furious.

"It's unbelievable -- the power, the tremendous force of water," Scally said.