CANTON – The committee working on problems with the Whitney Brook dam met recently to discuss the latest developments with state Department of Environmental Protection Dam and Hydro Supervisor Dana Murch.

Canton recently took the dam by eminent domain after the previous owner, Ray Fortier, failed to make repairs demanded by the state. The dam helps regulate the level of water in Anasagunticook Lake.

Committee Chairman Malcolm Ray, a professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, led the discussion to formalize objectives in replacing the dam. Reasons include public safety and maintaining proper water level for the environmental health of the lake and to protect the Canton water supply.

Ray stated that the committee wanted to install a temporary dam that would stabilize the summer level with only the required drawdown during the winter to provide for the spring runoff.

Murch pointed out that the widely fluctuating levels experienced in recent years interfered with loon nesting and fish spawning. Other participants pointed out that the less drastic winter drawdown was not only more environmentally friendly, but it would also reduce erosion in Whitney Brook caused by an earlier drastic and rapid drawdown of the lake.

Murch said that demolishing the old dam and building a new dam as proposed by the committee will remove the existing water level orders and dam safety orders issued to Fortier. He discussed the advantages of methods for controlling the level of the lake and the financial impact of each.

Dam safety was discussed. It was pointed out that the most significant flooding in Canton was caused by ice jams in the Androscoggin River, not flow from Lake Anasagunticook or Whitney Brook. Ray is providing DEP with a hazard analysis of the proposed temporary dam indicating what would be the effect if it were to fail. His preliminary calculations indicate that it would have minimal effect on the few residents left in the Canton flood plain.

The committee expects to receive approval of the permit application in 30 to 60 days. That will provide sufficient time to complete the temporary dam before winter.

The committee will draft a letter of understanding to be adopted by Canton, Hartford and other interested parties before work begins.