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#Post#: 2009--------------------------------------------------
It's a Clear Case of "Dam Confusion" hindering Erie
Canal Embankment Maintenance Plans
DIR By: Doug K
Date: February 20, 2022, 10:02 am
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The ECNA has pondered whether to post this information
publicly, but we do have a good idea why the New York State
Canal Corporation is having such a difficult time getting their
Erie Canal Embankment clearing program off the ground,despite
overwhelming evidence that it's to help the cause of public
safety.
After all, they have stated that basically MANY New York
residents are living in danger, near or under the threat of
unsafe earthen embankments that make up 125 miles of their NYS
Canal System.
They started a whole new program, dedicated to Canal Integrity,
that still can't seem to convince some in the public, of the
urgency to perform maintenance on unsafe, over-grown earthen
dams.
HTML https://www.nyscanalintegrity.org/
And we at the ECNA think this may be the issue... just a
suspicion. Again, this is ONLY our OPINION...
New York State is going through another "dam identity" crisis...
again. The State does NOT seem to agree (amongst the Government
Agencies) on what constitutes a Hazardous Dam, which is all in
the definition of course.
First, lets be clear... The NY State Department of Conservation
is in control of the New York State Dam Registry... the OFFICIAL
guide to what has been classified as a "dam" in our state, and
those locations now come under the "redundant" safety
verifications of the NYSDEC.
You can find the link to the NYS Dam Registry on the NYSDEC
website:
[attachimg=1]
HTML https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/311.html
This link downloads a file, that shows all NYS Dams, that are on
the state registry, with specifics on size, water capacity and
hazard ratings. It works using Google Maps, and is a VERY
powerful tool, allowing very detailed views of the areas that
would be in Flood Inundation Zones
[attachimg=4]
We counted the number of State Dam Registry "dams" that were on
this NYS Official Map, and only those that can be associated
with the Erie Canal System, and limited our search to only
Monroe County.
We counted a total of 9 registered DAMS in the Erie Canal, that
had been logged into this STATEWIDE system for Monroe County,
All of the dams were made CEMENT and listed use was for
NAVIGATION or Hydro Power generation. All but one of the were
High Hazard and built in the early 20th century.
So it appears that a Dam can be built and used for "navigation
purposes" and be listed in the NYS Dam Registry. That is what
New Yorkers along the Erie Canal were told was the same use for
these raised Earthen Canal Embankments... as "Navigation Dams"
But wait, there is another NYS map that shows Intermediate to
High Hazard Dams. It is from the Office of the State Comptroller
for NY State and was part of a Report of Findings that said NYS
Residents are in DANGER from uninspected, improperly maintained
dams.
[attachimg=2]
HTML http://wwe1.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/dams/dams.html
For those interested here's the NYS Office of the Comptroller's
review of the current conditions with public safety and NY State
Private and Publicly owned "dams".
HTML https://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/2018/06/state-comptroller-dinapoli-360m-needed-repair-local-dams
As you can see that map above has only listed 3 Dams that are
associated with State Ownership, and specifically the Erie Canal
System,
Two dams at Guard Gate /Locks for the Canal and the Court Street
Dam, that allowed the Genesee to be used as part of the Erie
Canal in it's last rebuilding circa 1926.
And of course... there is a THIRD map, and maybe the one that is
MOST IMPORTANT because it comes directly from the State Agency
that OWNS the NYS Canal System, New York Power Authority or
NYPA.
This map was part of a newly released website, dedicated to the
clearing and maintenance of these "unsafe earthen embankments"
or DAMS as the NYS Canal Corporation and NYPA have aptly stated.
These are earthen embankments that form the Erie Canal Channel
and are DAMS as defined by New York State DEC Rules and Regs.
They are not cement type structures, they are made of earth,
rock, and supposed to be covered with grass.
HTML https://www.nyscanalintegrity.org/program-and-maps
[attachimg=3]
HTML https://canals.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=42703bd1c0504a14933d2010ce739043
So how many "embankment dams" did the NYS Canal Corporation say
they have in Monroe County in this third NYPA version of an
Embankment Dam Registry, for the Erie Canal?
There are a whopping 41 identified Erie Canal Embankment Dams in
Monroe County, according to the NYPA Canal Integrity Program,
more than two-thirds of them have NOT been cleared of invasive
vegetation that still prohibits proper inspection and
maintenance today
And here is the water impoundment count along the Erie, by
Monroe County Town:
Town of Sweden 13 Canal Embankment Dams (status -
Cleared/Maintained)
Town of Ogden 11 Canal Embankment Dams (status -
Uncleared/ not Maintained)
Gates/Greece 3 Canal Embankment Dams (status -
Uncleared/ not Maintained)
Brighton/Henrietta 2 Canal Embankment Dams (status -
Uncleared/ not Maintained)
Town of Pittsford 4 Canal Embankment Dams (status -
Uncleared/ not Maintained)
Town of Perinton 8 Canal Embankment Dams (status -
Uncleared/ not Maintained)
So of course there is only ONE QUESTION left to ask the State of
New York, regarding it's Dam Safety Policy...
Which of these maps should the public believe is the right
one... for Erie Canal Dam Safety?
#Post#: 2010--------------------------------------------------
Re: It's a Clear Case of "Dam Confusion" hindering
Erie Canal Embankment Maintenance Plans
DIR By: Doug K
Date: February 20, 2022, 11:33 am
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And for those living on the Eastern side of Monroe County:
The Google Map shown below should be a wakeup call to all
residents of Henrietta, Pittsford, Brighton, and Perinton.
It shows the CURRENT list of Erie Canal Dams in your
neighborhoods and also they are ALL High Hazard.. made of cement
that is crumbling away... and have not been properly maintained
in many years.
[attachimg=1]
These NYS registered dams are NOT shown on the NYS Canal
Integrity Embankment Map, and bring the total DAM COUNT of
Hazardous Dams to 19, including those made of cement and those
made of earth.
Why the alarm you ask?
Look at the maps, it's a total distance of 12-13 miles along the
Erie Canal, and there are almost TWENTY High Hazard Dams along
it.
Just about the entire surrounding area is under threat of
unmaintained and uninspected dams, most are listed HIGH hazard,
and the canal is elevated up to sixty feet above the rest of the
Town in these sections
Why wouldn't Erie Canal Neighbors be worried?
#Post#: 2156--------------------------------------------------
Re: It's a Clear Case of "Dam Confusion" hindering
Erie Canal Embankment Maintenance Plans
DIR By: Doug K
Date: April 11, 2022, 9:31 am
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This is a good OPINION piece, from the ECNA, as to why the we
believe it's so hard for NYS to get their Erie Canal Integrity
Program up & running. It's never really been about a protest
movement, it has to do with ALL New York Agencies, being on the
"same page" at the "same time".
The post contains lots of factual information regarding the
issue of NYS Dam Safety, specifically in and around Rochester
and the Erie Canal. And it is from a purely Engineering
viewpoint that would assume this:
BEFORE rules can be set, on how best to deal with "high-hazard"
earthen dams in your community, those fact-supported rules need
to be AGREED upon by all who are responsible to provide the
solutions.
Defining a public safety problem is one thing. Having all
parties in agreement on definitions, boundaries and solutions to
those public safety problems, is another. And in order to agree
on the best solutions, the rules and definitions play a key role
in framing what solution is needed, why it's required, and where
each different solution is needed most.
And right now, the main agencies, looking at Navigation Dam
Safety along the Erie Canal, don't seem to agree on those
"definitions".
Scroll up to the top of this page to learn why...
And hopefully all this will be corrected as the Canal Integrity
Program gains momentum once again
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