Grovers Mill Pond repair bill leaps

Council must decide how to approach a potential $4.6 million charge

By: Emily Craighead
   WEST WINDSOR — The Grovers Mill Pond dam restoration may be just about finished, but the plan to dredge the pond behind the dam has suffered a setback as the project’s price tag has soared to $4.6 million.
   The township’s share may be $1.2 million more than originally planned, because of the Department of Environmental Protection’s decision to expand the cleanup.
   If the project is going to be done, it might as well be done right, Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said.
   "As a professional in this area, I think that would be the best way to go," he said.
   The pond, which used to be about 10 feet deep, is now only 2 to 3 feet deep, because of the sediment that has accumulated on the bottom, according to township Engineer Jim Parvesse. Age, erosion, weeds, maintenance needs and foul odors from rotting vegetation makes the repair and cleanup a necessity, officials have said.
   "If we don’t do anything, it will become like a swamp," Mayor Hsueh said.
   U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12) helped the township secure the original deal with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to contribute up to $1 million to clean the pond. The township is covering one-third of the total cleanup bill, while the corps is paying two-thirds, officials said.
   The most recent cost estimates are based on informal discussions with the Corps of Engineers, Mayor Hsueh said.
   It will be up to the council to decide where the project goes from here.
   "The council needs to give guidelines as to which way we are going," Mayor Hsueh said.
   Council President Charlie Morgan said the dredging may be discussed at an upcoming agenda meeting, though it has not been added to the agenda yet.
   "Given the large numbers, we need to satisfy ourselves that we understand what’s been spent so far and what needs to be done," he said.
   One option for funding the dredging could be through liquor license sales, according to Mayor Hsueh.
   If the funding is resolved, the project could be undertaken within two years, Mr. Parvesse said.
   The pond and dam, which were built in the mid-18th century, have been owned by the township since 1987. Before this year, the dam had never been renovated. The dam restoration included removing trees along both sides of the dam, repairing the concrete spillway, adding guardrails, and regrading side slope to prevent future erosion.