CLEARFIELD – A study to determine future work on the Montgomery Dam was announced Tuesday’s Clearfield Municipal Authority meeting.
Back in July, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection contacted the CMA over concern of the Montgomery Dam’s ability to handle a “Probable Maximum Flood.” It was estimated with the spillway in its current condition would only be able to handle 26 percent of a Probable Maximum Flood before the water began running over the top of the dam. PADEP requested that CMA provide plans for engineering studies of the dam by November.
When asked if the concern was just with water running over the top of the dam or if the dam would break in the Probable Maximum Flood conditions, Mark Glenn, authority member, responded that both a overflow and break would happen.
The engineering report on the required modifications for the Montgomery Dam spillway is expected to be completed in six months. Afterward it will be forwarded to the DEP. The cost of the work will depend on the outcome of the results of the studies.
Currently there is a chance that Montgomery Dam could function normally while the work is being done, but it may also require being completely drained beforehand. In this scenario wells and Moose Creek Dam would be used as a surrogate until construction is finished.
The Probable Maximum Flood was stated to be larger than a hundred year flood. When asked after the meeting, Glenn said the last two “hundred year” floods were said to have been in the 1930s and 1972 with Curwensville Dam having been constructed between them to help cut down on flooding. So a flood on the scale that would require the changes isn’t expected to be around the corner.
Currently with the dry weather, Montgomery Dam is at 3 feet below normal. At 5 feet, the Clearfield area will be on conservation mode.
The treasury report noted that income was lower than expected this month. With recent rises in the cost of crude oil raising the cost of all oil-based products, the CMA discussed measures and possibilities of reducing expenditures there rather than adding additional burdens on their customers. After working with the numbers it was found the shortcoming worked out to be equivalent of every person that CMA provides water for cutting back only five gallons a day.
“You can get an efficient toilet. You can get an efficient dish washer,” said Chris Rowles, authority member, commenting upon how spending only a little more upfront could save on water.
Earlier in the meeting, Joe Benedict had asked the CMA for an adjustment as his water bill had been higher than it normally would have been due to a leaky toilet. Before leaving he stated he liked his new, more water-efficient toilet he used to replace his broken one that he planned on getting around to replace all of his old toilets.