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#Post#: 886--------------------------------------------------
Is the Canal Corporation Lying about Embankment Integrity? See
Dams 1- 4
DIR By: Doug K
Date: January 8, 2020, 6:49 pm
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In the end it all comes down to facts... and what we see vs what
we hear.
The NY Canal Corporation started clearing what they termed as
"Unsafe Embankment Dams" in our area as part of a Project called
EERP, the Earthen Embankment Restoration Project. It started
from the Western end of the main Erie Canal in Buffalo and
worked it's way to Brockport. The NYCC was very exact about what
they wanted to fix, spoke with the public about their plans in
several meetings and outlined why this embankment clearing work
needed to be done.. they stated:
1) There were Earthen Dams under all those trees lining the Erie
Canal in our area...and those dams were Unsafe.
2) The hidden Earthen Dams were being damaged by the woody
overgrowth and this type of covering was not allowed on dams of
this type
3) Many of these Earthen Dams were nearing 100 years old & had
never undergone a proper earthen dam inspection
4) Neighbors of the Erie Canal, living below the dams, were in
danger of potential flood due to embankment breaching if the
trees remained.
Now some people believed the Canal Management & Project Leaders,
and some did not. Some worked with the Canal Corporation on
"good faith" thinking they would not be untruthful about Public
Safety, and some folks scoffed at safety and have worked against
the Embankment safety work from Day #1. But the real proof is is
what was said and whether or not it really was the truth.
The New York Canal Corporation submitted a package that included
a number set of work zones... that we now know are Earthen Dams.
[attachimg=1]
They also had how large the clearing work would be and the State
Safety Level Risk Rating (SLRR) for each Embankment.
[attachimg=2]
They included Maps for these unsafe dams that needed repair
[attachimg=3]
And when they started to clear the embankments off low and
behold...they DID find that there were Earthen Dams underneath
all that woody vegetation. Here's a section of Dam #37 just East
of the Village of Brockport where houses within 50' of the Top
of the Dam were virtually invisible. Dam 37 is approximately 1.5
miles long with heights of 18-22 feet above neighborhoods to the
North
[attachimg=4]
So as you can see the NY Canal Corporation was spot on with
their assessment of the Public Safety Nightmare the Erie Canal
had become.
But some still ignored the warnings and stopped the progress of
the original EERP Project... but NOT before about 40 Dams were
cleared. Those dams are listed on their original project task
list, along with about a dozen dam zones that were moved to the
new Earthen Embankment Integrity Program. That new program will
look at clearing BOTH sides of the waterway and it's apertunate
structures, for the entire length of the system...regardless of
if the embankment is raised or landcut. Tree clearing is going
to happen for the sake of public safety along the canal trail,
and the safety of those living below the earth dams sections.
I will document these original 40 EERP Dams in this post..
starting at Dam # 1 just west of Medina, near the old Fruit Ave
"Lowbridge" crossing. If nothing more it gives EACH of you a
chance to see what Earthen Dams are supposed to look like, and
proves those original f safety points made by the Canal
Corporation...
It's about Inspection & Safety at the end of the day, regardless
of what some may say or think about Erie Canal Embankments
#Post#: 887--------------------------------------------------
Submitted for Inspection... EERP Dam #1
DIR By: Doug K
Date: January 8, 2020, 7:00 pm
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Dam number 1 is listed as one of the smaller sized dams in
area.. but it's steep enough and about 25-28' tall... and it has
a hole in it.. a culvert.
It's listed on the Canal Project as a Moderate Safety Level and
actually has been cleared to move the safety rating back to LOW
or None on next inspection. The culvert, which lets a small
stream pass under the canal, is accessible to inspect as you can
see by the pictures. It looks great, but I have no before
pictures to show... maybe others do.
[attachimg=1]
VIEW from the WEST END of Dam
[attachimg=2]
VIEW at the CULVERT
[attachimg=3]
VIEW from the EAST END of Dam
(Note the access to culvert)
[attachimg=4]
EZ CULVERT INSPECTION
So you have seen the pictures...you answer the questions
1) Is it made of Earth?
2) Is it a Dam?
3) Is it now covered with the correct vegetation?
4) Can proper Dam Inspections be performed?
Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes.
If you can't see the truth with this one...keep going, there are
many more examples coming
#Post#: 888--------------------------------------------------
Submitted for review... Dam #2
DIR By: Doug K
Date: January 8, 2020, 7:08 pm
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Dam was was a highlight compared to Dam #2... rather boring,
longer than #1, not nearly as steep but just as high. And the
common denominator for Embankment Safety... there were several
houses or neighborhoods located below the dam. The top of the
water when the canal is full is about 20' above the roofs of
these houses.
[attachimg=1]
VIEW from the WEST END of the Dam
[attachimg=2]
VIEW from the CENTER of the Dam
(Note the houses through the trees)
[attachimg=3]
VIEW from the EAST END of the Dam
So two cleared EERP work zones, two water impounding structures
that certainly qualify as Earthen Embankments Dams. Obviously
more inspection friendly than when they were covered with trees,
and as you can see... Erie Canal Neighbors who now have SAFE
dams bordering their properties instead of flood hazard,
overgrown, dangerous embankments.
But there is more... Dam #3 only has been halfway cleared...take
a look
#Post#: 889--------------------------------------------------
Earthen Embankment Restoration Dam 3 - A Tale of Two Dams
DIR By: Doug K
Date: January 8, 2020, 7:25 pm
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Dam 3 of the original Embankment Project sits right next to Dam
#2 which ran from Fruit Ave to the West. On the east side of
this old canal bridge crossing is where Dam Three starts. It has
been cleared at the very beginning and at the very end, both
done for vary different reasons I'm sure. It's a fairly long
embankment dam at 3300 ft, about 2/3 mile. It runs between Fruit
Ave & Marshall Rd High Bridge.
The western end of Dam 3 is actually now the front yard of an
ORIGINAL Erie Canal side home built in 1833, called the
Servoss-Hagood House. It's a nice place, well worth a peek and
may already have been cleared before this project was done.
[attachimg=1]
VIEW of the House at WEST end of Dam 3
[attachimg=2]
Historic Home Marker
Now moving east from the house the Dam becomes overgrown &
untouched by any restoration work. It's also noted that there
are no other houses along this section, only a wet area due to
another culvert located midway down Dam #3. Note that the
culvert itself was cleared, on both sides, and the next post
will show a new cleared Dam Inspection Path to allow proper
Culvert and Toe of Slope Inspections
[attachimg=3]
UNCLEARED Dam 3 at West End
[attachimg=4]
CLEARED Dam 3 Culvert
The next post in this thread will show the rest of Dam #3
#Post#: 890--------------------------------------------------
Embankment Restoration Dam 3 - A Tale of Two Dams (cont)
DIR By: Doug K
Date: January 8, 2020, 7:33 pm
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We left off at the Culvert under Dam 3... and that nice new
Inspection Path. I didn't walk down it, due to limited time and
intermittent snow squalls, but did get a few good pictures. Most
likely any uncleared sections along Dam 3 will become part of
the new Canal Corporation Embankment Integrity PROGRAM that will
fill in the blanks on Erie Canal safety, by making any and all
areas along this NY State asset open to safety related earthen
dam work, at the discretion of the Canal Corporation workload
HTML http://www.canals.ny.gov/Earthen_Embankment/index.html
Here's the rest of Dam 3 Pictures
[attachimg=1]
UNCLEARED East End of Dam 3
[attachimg=2]
Dam 3 Culvert Inspection Path
Now about halfway down Dam 3 from the 1833 house the rest of Dam
3 borders a rather large farmer's field and is cleared from here
to the next overpass bridge at Marshall Rd
[attachimg=3]
CLEARED eastern section of Dam 3
[attachimg=4]
Dam 3 leads directly to Dam #4 which is one of the largest,
longest and also one of the most unsafe in the entire original
Embankment Restoration Project... see the next post
#Post#: 891--------------------------------------------------
Embankment Dam Restoration in Medina - Dam 4
DIR By: Doug K
Date: January 8, 2020, 7:47 pm
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Dam 4 has a HIGH RISK Rating for Dam Safety, it is 7.5 acres of
embankment, and is a continuous earthen embankment dam for 1.5
miles from Marshall Rd High Bridge to Medina Main St Lift
Bridge. It was too long to walk the whole thing today due to
weather, but I did get three nice pictures to share. It's long,
has a couple culverts by the look on Google Maps and is about
16-20' tall so the entire canal, top to bottom, is above the
ground level of surrounding areas.
[attachimg=1]
Dam 4 Western End
[attachimg=2]
Dam 4 showing size
[attachimg=3]
Dam 4 EAST end in Medina at Main St Lift Bridge
Maybe Dam 4 was marked High Hazard due to the trees that used to
be there, and it's size. In any case it is CLEARED...do you
think it qualifies as a Dam?
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