Partial breach on SBR dam in Califon

[Rusty Spinner]

The dam known as Coles Mill dam in "downtown" Califon experienced a partial breach of the dam near the Methodist church on River Road on Sunday. A very large ice dam was to blame, and the dam is currently allowing the SBR to flow almost entirely through this breach on river left rather than flowing over the spillway which is way over on river right. I got the call from one of our (TU) members that lives in town on Sunday and contacted DEP including Dam Safety and the Division biologist for that region along with Raritan Headwaters Assoc., the watershed organization. We met on site Monday morning and determined that further erosion of the dam was very unlikely.



So next is for the owner to hire an engineer to study the breach and either permanently repair it or start making plans for removal. RHA and TU will be pushing, obviously, for full removal. Wish me luck. This will be great for the SBR all the way through the Gorge if we can remove it.



And yesterday's rains........(photo credit to The Squirminator)

 

[lightenup]

I saw three people standing around and staring at it Monday, looked like the town maintenance people...From what I saw, it was all flowing towards the road, and if it rains a lot it would erode under river road and cause some issues......knock that relic down Rusty,,,

 

[Rusty Spinner]

I saw three people standing around and staring at it Monday, looked like the town maintenance people...From what I saw, it was all flowing towards the road, and if it rains a lot it would erode under river road and cause some issues......knock that relic down Rusty,,,

Wish me luck. Going, going.........GONE! Let's hope the owner feels the same way. We do know he's open to removal, but the cost difference right now leans hard to rehabilitation. But this is only one event, others will come and cost the owner more $$ in time. Plus his liability remains as long as he owns a dam. Town council seems to be on board with removal, something others feel will be an impediment to removal but they are wrong it seems. Califon is somewhat enlightened towards the impacts of flooding events and their stormwater situation which is refreshing. It will likely all come down to funding. Maybe beetle can donate his book sales to help remove the dam????

 

[tompg]

won't mother nature remove it for free sooner or later? I'll come volunteer some sledge hammer time to help it along.

 

[lightenup]

Wish me luck. Going, going.........GONE! Let's hope the owner feels the same way. We do know he's open to removal, but the cost difference right now leans hard to rehabilitation. But this is only one event, others will come and cost the owner more $$ in time. Plus his liability remains as long as he owns a dam. Town council seems to be on board with removal, something others feel will be an impediment to removal but they are wrong it seems. Califon is somewhat enlightened towards the impacts of flooding events and their stormwater situation which is refreshing. It will likely all come down to funding. Maybe beetle can donate his book sales to help remove the dam????

But what about the Pikes? you will wreck their home!!!:nose-picking:

 

[Pete]

won't mother nature remove it for free sooner or later? I'll come volunteer some sledge hammer time to help it along.

Brian IS a force of nature (so is your sledge hammer).

But what about the Pikes? you will wreck their home!!!:nose-picking:

Pike(s) = Illegal Immigrants
Send them back north where they come from.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

won't mother nature remove it for free sooner or later? I'll come volunteer some sledge hammer time to help it along.

In time, Mother Nature removes all dams, yes. But we don't want 125 years of accumulated sediment heading downstream all at once. You can kiss the KLG no-kill goodbye for several years if that happens.