Lincoln Pond Association Web Site. Lincoln Pond, Elizabethtown, New York

Lincoln Pond
~ A Place for All Seasons ~

Lincoln Pond in the summer. Photographs by Wayne Johnson.

Hope all of you are ready for some sun and fun on Lincoln Pond! I know that the Kingdom Dam reconstruction project has been on many of your minds -- as it has been on ours! See below for some updates on the project, but first some announcements and news on scheduled events:

2013 SEASON ~ ANNOUNCEMENTS, MEETINGS, ACTIVITIES:

1) OUR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP meeting will take place on Saturday, August 3rd starting at 9:30 am. We will gather at Jeff Sienkiewicz' camp (39 Lower Pond Way -- same place as last year). E-Town supervisor Margaret Bartley will be making a presentation on some of the history of Lincoln Pond and its residents and we will review the most recent information on the Kingdom Dam reconstruction project (hopefully, we'll have a representative from DEC there but if not we will be submitting questions to DEC and reading the responses at the meeting; if you have any concerns or specific questions about the project, forward them to us at lincolnpondassociation@gmail.com and we'll run them by DEC engineers). We will also be holding elections. Up for re-election are: Gerry Zahavi (Pres,), Deborah Maxwell (Sect.), April Spilling (Director), and Wayne Johnson (Director).

2) The Association's road clean-up will take place on Saturday, June 29 starting at 9 a.m. We'll gather at the intersection of Lincoln Pond Road and Lower Pond Road. Hope to see you there!

3) A second, more modest road clean-up effort will take place at the end of tjhe July 4th weekend -- just covering the causeway and road fronts near the public campsite area. It will take place on Sunday, July 7th.

4) Judy Schwarz will be ordering more T-shirts -- as well as wine and beer/soda glasses -- with the Lincoln Pond Association logo. If you are interested in obtaining any, contact Judy at: lexlp16@aol.com.

5) The Association will be participating in the E-Town Day garage sale, with proceeds being split between item sellers and the Elizabethtown Hospital Auxiliary (a 50/50 garage sale). Our tables will be set up adjacent to the Elizabethtown Hospital near the ER entrance. You can bring items and tables there starting at 7:30 am the morning of July 20th. If you are interested in selling some of your surplus possessions and at the same time also contributing to the Hospital through the Auxiliary, contact us at: lincolnpondassociation@gmail.com.

6) If you haven't already sent in your annual membership dues ($15 per camp) please do so now. You can send the dues directly to our treasurer, Jeff Sienkiewicz at 18 Aspetuck Ridge Road, New Milford, CT 06776 or to Gerry Zahavi, 4172 Lincoln Pond Rd. Elizabethtown, NY 12932.

7) We've been in touch with DEC lately to get a detailed update on the Kingdom Dam reconstruction project and they were good enough to send us one. Here is the latest news on the project as described by Tom Lincoln, DEC Environmental Engineer recently in a letter to Gerry Zahavi, Association President:

"Our consultant is finalizing the hazard class and associated downstream inundation map. They evaluate the dam breach scenarios on both a sunny day and in a storm event. The dam will either remain a medium hazard or be increased to high hazard pending the final results of the downstream study. The hazard class is not at all related to the condition of the dam. It is based solely on the possibility of loss of life in the event of a dam failure. Proposed work on the dam is now slated for fall 2014. The intent is to minimize the impacts to everyone around the pond who enjoys the recreational use. We initially hoped to have the permits in place in time for a project bid this summer and fall 2013 construction schedule, but our consultant recommended additional investigation to determine the condition of the concrete inside the dam. The drilling work is highly specialized, and based on driller's availability, the consultant is considering two different approaches to perform the work. One is to set up equipment on land, whereas the other approach involves floating to the dam on a barge and then setting it directly on the existing concrete. That work should be completed in the coming months after permits are obtained.
The proposed 2014 updates to the dam are:

- The installation of steel anchors that tie the dam down to the existing bedrock. This provides an extra measure of stability to better resist sliding and overturning. If the dam does get reclassified to be high hazard, it must pass a bigger storm event. Therefore the rock anchors allow the dam to meet the stability criteria set forth by NYSDEC's Division of Dam Safety.
- The upstream face will receive a new layer of concrete on top of the existing concrete. This will greatly reduce water seeping through the dam and extend the service life of the structure.
- The downstream face will have the shotcrete removed and may receive an overlay based on the amount of deterioration observed. Isolated areas of deteriorated concrete will be repaired as required.
- The concrete buttresses on the downstream face will be repaired or replaced as necessary.
- A cofferdam will be used upstream of the dam to minimize the necessary drawdown of the water while the upstream face of the dam is under construction. For this summer's meeting, this is the extent of the updates.
Once we have a final report of any further proposed modifications to the dam, we will provide you with a copy to keep you informed. None of the possible modifications would involve altering the normal water level at all. So please let the members know that they will not be faced with the prospect of having boat docks high and dry. [MY EMPHASIS] We will certainly have approved drawings for the proposed work well in advance of your 2014 board and association meetings. We can get up to speed beforehand, and proceed accordingly at that point to outline the planned work. I also wanted to mention again that the project is fully funded under the NY Works umbrella, so there is money available to perform whatever work is required at the dam."

Lincoln Pond 2013 Brochure (PDF). Download here: LPD BROCHURE.

PAST ANNOUNCEMENTS

2010 Lincoln Pond Water Quality Reports (from CSLAP/DEC) are below. 2011 reports are not yet posted (they will be available at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/77872.html when completed).
1) Lincoln Pond Scorecard (summary)
2) Scorecard Criteria (explanation of former document)
3) CSLAP 2010 Lincoln Pond Water Quality Summary. OLDER REPORTS (PDF file): CSLAP 2008 Report & CSLAP 2009 Summary Report.
KINGDOM DAM INSPECTION REPORTS (originally posted June 2011): Kingdom Dam Phase 2 Final Report, Revision 1, Vol. 1: Kingdom_Phase 2 Final Report Volume 1. | Kingdom Dam Phase 2I Report - Vol 2 (Hydraulic and Hydrologic Supplement for Kingdom Dam on Lincoln Pond: Kingdom Phase 2 H&H Final Report, Vol 2.

PREVIOUSLY POSTED ITEMS on Kingdom Dam Repair and Restoration Project. Click here for a summary of the latest inspection report and recommendations: Donald E. Canestrari, P.E. Environmental Engineer 2, Dam Safety Division (letter).

LINCOLN POND/COUNTY RT. 7 BROADBAND INITIATIVE: Unfortunately, CBN Connect, the organization we've been working with to bring Broadband Internet to the Lincoln Pond Area, failed to obtain grant funding through a U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunication and Information Administration stimulus grant (for more information, see: http://www.cbnconnect.org/ARTICLES/9-29-10.html. As a result of this setback, we are starting to explore alternatives -- including the formation of a not-for-profit Broadband Co-op. Clearly, most business models make it unprofitable for private firms to bring service out along Lincoln Pond Road toward this area; the population density is too low for profitable operation without subsidies. The only viable solution is indeed obtaining subsidies from the government through grants or low-interest loans (recall the rural electrification initiatives of the New Deal era) and/or through the creation of a Co-op which will share the cost of service across a broader rural population and across present and future generations. A Broadband Co-op may have to encroach upon for-profit service areas to be viable. The benefit of this will be competition in formerly low-competition areas -- and of course, lower costs. We are looking for legal assistance from attorneys familiar with not-for-profit corporation law and the Co-op model for advice and counsel.
In the meantime, we are still collecting the names of households interested in Broadband service. We intend to continue lobbying our representatives for public investment in this area. We will continue discussions and negotiations with Charter Cable, Westelcom, Verizon, and Time Warner. We'll also continue our dialog with local and regional politicians. It's time for our region to get connected! Not only will it enhance our educational and entertainment opportunities (such as distance learning and degree programs on line, film and audio downloads, a greater variety of television channels, access to on-line books and newspapers), it will also foster home businesses and provide a variety of commercial opportunities to residents. Sign onto our initiative by sending us a note expressing your desire to get service. We need names, addresses, phone numbers, and current email information for all those who are interested -- to show service providers and regional politicians that there is real, un-met demand in our area. Send a note expressing your desire to get connected to: lincolnpondassociation@gmail.com. We'll add you to our petition and to our mailing list and notify you regularly of our progress.

~ ~ ~ ~

Sunset at Lincoln Pond
(Helen Phinney, Aug. 11, 1971)

A kingfisher skims the water -
the water reflecting the
hills and sky
Pools of pink and purple.

Now the colors fade.
The hills take on a deep blue.
The water becomes shimmering
glass - shimmering - moving -
Blue clouds, now, and
darker water - a bird calls
in the trees behind me.

Now all is muted and quiet,
Colors, water - all.

Welcome to the official Lincoln Pond Association Web site.

E-mail: lincolnpondassociation@gmail.com
Web site maintained by: Gerald Zahavi
Updated: June 15, 2013