Ever since heavy rains and erosion compromised the structure of the Chandler’s Mill Pond Dam back in 2015, there have been many twists, turns, and cruel setbacks as everyone who has passed the near-empty pond keep wondering the same thing: when will it ever be complete?
In 2020, the initial project to build a completely new dam seemed to be a success when people finally saw water under the bridge in August of that year. Unfortunately, it was not to last as torrential rains in November caused the pond’s water to flood Route 3 for the first time in recent memory. This particular trouble was thanks to the dead vegetation clogging up the screening on the tower portion of the dam, which in turn forced the dam’s floodgates to be open. Someone, in their infinite wisdom, had not included an emergency spillway, according to the incident report.
Then, when June of 2021 rolled in, things got even worse as torrential downpours led to inundation akin to that of a 100-year flood, and the Chandler’s Mill Pond was no exception with chunks of the dam being swept away by the torrent that resulted after Route 3 was swallowed by the floodwaters.
Since then, repairs and rebuilding have been slow going, with some even joking that a family of beavers probably would have had a functioning dam up ages ago. To this day, people let loose peels of mirthless laughter whenever the Chandler’s Mill Pond Dam appears on any sort of docket, and this month’s meeting of Westmoreland County’s Board of Supervisors was no exception.
At the meeting, County Administrator Norm Risavi pulled up an email he received in the middle of December from John Kirk of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, for whom the dam has been the proverbial monkey on his back. In it, he revealed that contracts were being finalized with an architect and engineer firm to finalize the permits needed for work to continue on the repairs at the dam.
Currently, there is a tentative timeline in place that would have contracts and permits finalized by the middle of this month as well as a site meeting with stakeholders.
When February rolls in, the contractor should, in theory, be able to begin to mobilize and continue working. It is estimated that it will be another 18 months from when the contractor starts, leading to a rough estimate of 2 years from Kirk.
Of course, given the numerous frustrations that have arisen on the subject of the Chandler’s Mill Pond Dam these past few years, one can be forgiven for expecting it to take a little longer.
At the meeting, the Supervisors seemed to share in many of the frustrations of the county residents, with county administrator Norm Risavi noting, “It feels like it’s been one issue after another down there. But I have to keep stressing, that’s a state operation, not a county one.”
“And where’s the engineer they hired that said he’d take care of everything?” Supervisor Russ Culver quipped in turn.
“Probably fired,” was the instant reply from Risavi.
“All we can do is be patient and see where it goes,” chimed Chairman Darryl Fisher. “There will be water there, eventually. I guess.”
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