WESTFIELD—Two of the city’s dams will be undergoing inspections next week, according to Westfield Flood Control Commission chair Al Giguere.
The Arm Brook and Powdermill Brook flood control reservoirs and dams will be inspected on Tuesday, Aug. 22, by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Office of Dam Safety (DCR-ODS) and the United States Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The dams are being inspected for any potential safety issues, as well as maintenance of the dams and the areas and the public is welcome to attend, along with interested city officials.
According to Giguere, the inspections are usually a biannual process, but the city has had the dams inspected yearly recently. Giguere said this is due to the work the dams need and the attention the Flood Control Commission has drawn to them.
“I think it’s the level of attention we’ve been giving our flood control projects but they also want to see forward progress,” Giguere said. “This is their way of saying we are not going away any time soon.”
Giguere said that the inspection process of each site is expected to take from 45 to 90 minutes. Arm Brook’s inspection will occur at 10:30 a.m., with entrance near the Dog Bark located on Lockhouse Road, while Powdermill’s will begin at noon, with entrance being at the Twiss Street Transfer Station.
Those who are participating are urged by Giguere to wear long pants and it is also suggested that you wear bug repellent, preferably with DEET, due to the high potential for ticks to be in the area.
According to Giguere, inspections will include safety issues, including potential areas of erosion, animal damage, as well as plant and tree growth. Other areas of focus will include maintenance of the dams and the area.
Giguere said that the two dams and reservoirs have several items that need to be addressed, which is why the commission has drawn attention to the sites.
“The problem is, especially Powdermill, it’s in such bad shape that capacity is diminished,” Giguere said.
In addition, he added that both structures are past their 50-year life expectancy, and engineering of projects like these have evolved to beyond how these were engineered initially. Giguere said that the Flood Control Commission wants to address the many deficiencies, but unfortunately funding has been an issue.
“We really have not been able to address the issues that they give us,” Giguere said. “We simply don’t have the funds to repair.”
