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1 From: Michael E. McFadden [mmcfadden@southamptonnj.org] Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 12:46 PM To: cindy.randazzo@dep.stae.nj.us Cc: chris.stark@gov.state.nj.us; tomheller@aol.com Subject: FW: Old Forge Lake Dear Ms Randazzo: The DEP website lists you as the contact for municipalities with specific concerns. As you will see in reading the email below, Southampton Township’s residents and governing body have a serious concern regarding an application by a property owner to remove a dam. The Bureau of Dam Safety and Flood Control personnel are apparently working within the scope of their mission but there is a far greater scope that must be considered. Old Forge Lake and its dam are significant to a large portion of this Township’s population. Given the choice of removal of the dam and lake or replacing the existing dam with a dramatically more elaborate and costly structure, it is understandable that the property owner would opt for removal. But this is a class III dam impounding a treasured natural resource. For the last fourteen months the remedial measures taken when a breach was detected, have resulted in no negative effects. There can be no doubt that loss of the lake will result in deterioration of the local ecosystem, a health hazard due to the creation of a mosquito breeding ground and loss of surrounding wetlands. It is imperative that the Department of Environmental Protection look at the much broader picture that is not being considered by Dam Safety. A letter will follow to Commissioner Martin repeating the concerns brought to the Governor’s office. Please, at your earliest convenience, acknowledge receipt of this email. Sincerely, Michael McFadden, RMC Administrator Southampton Township From: Michael E. McFadden [mailto:mmcfadden@southamptonnj.org] Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 1:44 PM To: 'chris.stark@gov.state.nj.us' Subject: Old Forge Lake Chris, A property sandwiched between the Leisuretowne retirement community and the Hampton Lakes development here in Southampton consists of a lake called Old Forge Lake and its dam. About 6,000 residents live in this area and there is a great deal of concern expressed over the application of the property owner to remove the dam and let the lake dry up. The property owner is a corporation named Realmark. Realmark is one of the iterations of the original developer of Leisuretowne. The dam that impounds the water of Friendship Creek to form Old Forge Lake failed in August of last year. It broke in the middle of its sixty foot span (approximate) and had to be plugged with stone. It is a class III dam. According to the dam safety standards, Class III is a “low hazard potential: This classification includes those dams, the failure of which would cause loss of the dam itself but little or no additional damage to other property.” Actually the dam was only partially damaged and the repair has worked for the past 14 months. The property owner has submitted an application to DEP’s Division of Dam Safety to remove the dam and dewater the lake. We believe this action was taken because Dam Safety would have required in the alternative a complete rebuilding of a much more elaborate dam with prohibitive cost. Residents of Leisuretowne and Hampton Lakes, the Township Committee and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance all share the common concern that a complete replacement is not warranted, the dewatering of the lake will remove aesthetic and recreational benefits, lower property values and create a nuisance and health hazard as a breeding ground for 2 mosquitoes and other insects. The Route 70 bridge that crosses Friendship Creek also was constructed with its foundations in the water of the lake. There is concern that the base of the bridge could be compromised by the dewatering of the lake. There is also concern that surrounding wetlands will be compromised by destabilizing this part of the Township’s ecosystem. We believe wetlands protection is a great deal more important than turning a lake into a swamp. Although a significant portion of the Township’s population has expressed their concern over the removal of the lake, the owner and Dam Safety seem prepared to move forward. We know there will be a hearing which we want very much to be held in Southampton Township but if the matter comes down to dewater or build a significantly more expensive dam, the fear is that the lake will be lost. The various parties in opposition to these two alternatives want consideration of a third choice. Make the minimum repairs needed to shore up the existing structure. We ask that Commissioner Martin, Director Moyle of Dam Safety and a representative from the Governor’s office come out and look at what now exists and what our residents may lose. Your help is urgently requested. Mike McFadden, RMC Administrator Southampton Township
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