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Iona Lake in Franklinville will be saved by Gloucester County

 


The county will lead the dam and bridge repair for Iona Lake Dam

(Deptford, NJ) -- Gloucester County Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger and Freeholder Heather Simmons joined Senator Steve Sweeney today to announce that Gloucester County will lead the way to reconstruct the bridge and dam at Iona Lake utilizing federal funding. 

After the reconstruction, the County will take responsibility of the bridge, and Franklin Township will take full jurisdictional responsibility for the dam. 

The bridge over Still Run at Iona Lake is located on Porchtown Road, (CR 613) between Williamstown Road (CR 612) and Taylor Road. The bridge spans over Still Run where the upstream portion of the structure also has an attached spillway and forms Iona Lake. The reinforced concrete single span slab was built circa 1938 and is in need of repair. 

Senator Steve Sweeney said, "Iona Lake has been in jeopardy of being decommissioned for years, but now that Gloucester County is taking the lead on this major infrastructure project, it will be saved for all of those who enjoy it. I applaud the county and the mayor for working on a solution together so that residents and visitors can continue to have their slice of heaven here in Franklinville. " 

Freeholder Director Robert Damminger said, "This agreement between the County and the municipality will allow the residents of Franklin to keep Iona Lake.  After the major storms in 2004, the DEP changed the rules about dams and required that damaged or failed dams either be repaired or removed to protect from a breaching." 

Damminger said, "After this reconstruction is completed, the township will maintain the dam, which means Iona Lake will not have to be decommissioned." 

Freeholder Heather Simmons said, “Iona Lake has overtopped during major flooding events and during Hurricane Irene in 2011 it scoured out the downstream embankment to the edge of the roadway.  Without this partnership the lake would have to be dewatered.” Simmons is the Liaison to the Department of Public Works.

Simmons said, “This is a win for everyone. The County will be responsible for obtaining federal funding to design, permit and construct a new bridge, dam, and roadway.  Franklin would not have been able to afford to do this without the county, and their alternative would have been to decommission the lake.  This is a large project, and it is essential to the safety of our residents, and to the quality of life here too.“ 

The County is seeking to replace or repair the bridge and bring the dam into compliance in order to avoid future emergency repairs, maintain the integrity of the roadway and maintain a safe condition.

Franklin Mayor Donald Krevetski said, “If this dam were to breach, it would be devastating to our infrastructure and our citizens.  We are pleased to be a part of this partnership with the county.  For a relatively small cost of maintaining this dam in the future we will get to preserve a part of Franklin's character.”

In Photo:  Freeholder Jim Jefferson, Freeholder Heather Simmons and County Clerk Jim Hogan

via www.gloucestercountynj.gov

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