Water levels lowest in decades for Setting Pole Dam testing

by Dan McClelland

Shoreline property owners on the local lakes and river have undoubtedly noticed the low water levels of the past week or so.

Brookfield Power Co. which controls the Raquette system’s water level at Setting Pole Dam opened the gates wide in recent days at the request of the town and LaBella Engineering. LaBella is the firm the town engaged to study the below-water condition of the century-old dam.

According to Town Supervisor Rick Dattola, the company needed the water level lowered so its divers could more easily inspect and photograph the underwater portions of the dam here.

Once LaBella Engineering finishes its research work and files its report, town leaders will then know the amount of reconstruction the main dam here will need.

The last time the dam saw major infrastructure improvements was during the 1980s when Pat Quinn was supervisor.

Mr. Dattola said they have been told by their engineers on the project the gates should be closed and local water levels should return to normal for this time of year by mid-week next week. “The divers only needed a day or two to get their underwater inspections completed,” he told the Free Press Monday.

With the water level down, there have been some concerns from local boaters about the depth of the water in the channel in front of the state boat launch site at Moody and of the cut-off channel between the river and Simond Pond.

Councilman Tim Larkin, who is the board member directly overseeing the dam project, said this week that Monday was the last day the water level declined.

He said the divers were expected to be in the water in and around the dam doing their underwater inspection yesterday.

By today the water level is expected to increase again as fast as natural rainfall in coming days will permit, he explained.

Councilman Larkin estimated this week the water level had declined between a foot and 18 inches during their drawn down period.

He noted too that the minimal amount of rain that has fallen in recent weeks has helped with the water lowering effort. “It’s been something of a perfect storm!”