The 17-foot dam has been around since 1900, when Town Farm Brook was stopped to create a recreational area. One hundred and twenty one years later, New Milford is facing one of two choices with the structure: demolition or extensive repairs. Reservoir No. 4 Dam has a valve dating back to around 1918 that won’t shut, disjointed overflow pipes, spots in the wall where water seeps through, mortar issues on the spillway, and sloughing off the back of the dam. The concerns were big enough that the Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency, which provides the town’s municipal risk financing, to initially balked at the prospect of insuring the dam. According to DEEP, the dam is marked as a “significant hazard,” which is the second highest hazard classification. At a recent meeting, the New Milford Town Council debated using American Rescue Plan funds to deal with the problem. Repairs are estimated to cost around $1.2 million. Demolition would run in the same price range. The removal of a dam can help the landscape resettle into its natural state and bring environmental benefits.
https://www.registercitizen.com/local/article/A-dam-problem-in-New-Milford-has-officials-16536548.php?t=186d2d088a