Natalia Knochowski

By: centraljersey.com
CRANBURY – The township is starting to collect data about what is needed to repair the Brainerd Lake dam in order to meet requirements of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Dam Safety.
Therefore, over the next few months, residents may be seeing some increased activity in the lake, including some scuba divers.
Although the dam has a few small problems that must be repaired, the primary problem is its spillway is not large enough and needs to be enlarged, township engineer William Tanner said.
The spillway is the part of the dam that water is released through. For example, the series of waterfalls of the Hoover Dam is the Hoover Dam’s spillway, Mr. Tanner added.
Because Brainerd Lake Dam’s spillway is not large enough, and therefore, there is not enough space for the water to go through, the dam overtops with water. Mr. Tanner explained if it consistently overtops, erosion, severe flooding or a collapse of the dam can result.
The township has enlisted Najarian Associates, of Eatontown, and AEIS LLC, of Flemington, to collect data about the structural and hydraulic qualities of the dam.
This data will be used in order to create and submit an application to the bureau detailing what repairs have to be made to the dam.
Some of the inspections already have started, Mr. Tanner said.
In addition, researchers will be scuba diving in the lake, then draining it out, most likely in October, in order to collect data on both dry and wet conditions of the lake.
Mr. Tanner said the application to the bureau will not go out until the winter. If it is approved, the bureau may issue a permit around May to start the repairs that fall, he added.
Mr. Tanner said this is a joint agreement with the township and the county, and the county is paying for the preliminary engineering work.