Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Glocester Land Trust asks state to reclassify Hawkins Pond dam to reduce repair scope
Summary
The Glocester Land Trust presented engineering work suggesting Hawkins Pond dam should be reclassified from 'high hazard' to 'significant hazard,' which could substantially reduce required spillway work and overall repair cost; the final report is under review by DEM.
Will Wilmore of the Glocester Land Trust updated the council on months of engineering work on Hawkins Pond dam and reported that a detailed submission has been sent to the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) asking for reclassification.
Wilmore said the dam was initially classified as "high hazard" in a statewide rapid assessment, but further work with engineering firm GZA — the same firm used for the initial statewide assessment — and additional hydrologic and topographic data indicates Hawkins Pond is a small, earthen impoundment that better fits the "significant hazard" classification. Reclassification would remove the project from the most prescriptive spillway standards (which would have required widening the spillway by 15–20 feet) and substantially reduce the required scope and cost of repairs.
The Land Trust submitted the engineering report to DEM and has responded to follow‑up questions; Wilmore said additional rounds of questions are expected but that the engineering evidence supports reclassification. He also said the Land Trust hopes to manage the repair within its budget and with potential ARPA assistance rather than going to taxpayers for a large special appropriation.
No final DEM determination was recorded at the meeting; the trust and its engineers remain available to respond to DEM requests.
