Beaver Lake; It’s dam complicated
“We obviously considered the recreation of the lake as a priority when we were planning,” Utilities Manager Bud Hauersperger told the attendees of the Jasper Water Committee meeting Thursday morning.
Hauersperger was referring to the steps taken in 2004 to complete the renovation on the dam and spillway.
“If we hadn’t, the lake would be 15 feet lower because that was the cheapest option,” he said.
He explained lowering the water level of the lake 15 feet was one of the options explored by the Jasper Utility Service Board when it was attempting to comply with the mandate from the Department of Natural Resources.
The mandate to modify the lake or the dam was made due to new regulations passed down from the federal government.
The dam holding back Beaver Lake’s waters is considered a high hazard dam. This is a regulatory classification based on the height of the dam, the amount of water in its reservoir, the potential for loss of life and property in case of failure and other criteria. The classification of the dam could have been changed by lowering the amount of water in the lake the 15 feet, for example, thus bringing the dam into compliance.
According to Hauersperger, the city made the decision to move forward with the spillway project to protect the property-owners around the lake.
It wasn’t the least expensive option being considered at the time. However, grants from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs and the Economic Development Association cut the $3.3 million project’s pricetag down to about $300,000 for the Jasper Utility Service Board to consider.
During Thursday’s meeting, Hauersperger explained that the city hired Brosmer Surveying to conduct the topographical survey as part of the engineering and planning that had to be completed for the project.
Hauersperger also explained that he didn’t think a survey had been conducted on the dam since the 1966 study. “I reviewed the scope of the work, and I didn’t see any reference to a surveyor being involved,” he said. “Actually, the ’82 report had the drawings from 1955 report included in it. I have to guess that ’66 was the last time anyone surveyed the lake, and they had to because the dam was eroding.”
According to Hauersperger, no control point for the water level of the lake has ever been identified. “Nowhere has anyone ever identified where there is a control point. Is it a rock? Is it a tree?” he asked rhetorically. “In 45 years, is that still there? I don’t know.”
Hauersperger said that after being given a two-year ultimatum by DNR to get something completed on the dam and spillway, the city hired Christopher Burke Engineering to come up with several options. “Our goal was to number one, meet DNR’s requirements because we didn’t want to get sued by DNR, and number two, try to keep the lake usable,” he said.
When Brosmer Surveying was contracted to complete the survey, and they were unable to locate a control point, Christopher Burke Engineering told them to use the concrete spillway since it was the only permanent structure they could find.
“There is a very complicated formula on the height of the dam and the height of the spillway,” Hauersperger said. “If you raise the spillway up, you have to raise the dam up. We went with what we thought was the most economical solution.”
After the grants from OCRA and EDA, reduced the price by $3 million, the Utility Service Board was able to consider completing the spillway without having to go to the landowners and users for money. “The board decided to take it on and used the funds from all the [city] water customers to pay for it,” Hauersperger said. “It isn’t our primary backup water supply, but it is a water backup supply, so they [Utility Service Board] decided to spend the money to keep it that way.”
In regards to placing the blame on anyone for the loss of a foot of water in the lake level, the city has asked Christopher Burke Engineering and Morley and Associates to review the information presented by resident Brad Popp at Tuesday’s Jasper Park Board meeting and provide comments.
Whether they decide to answer Popp’s allegations is up in the air, according to City Attorney Renee Kabrick. “It will all depend on what their own counsel tells them,” Renee Kabrick said. “Realistically, their counsel could say ‘don’t respond. Don’t put anything in writing’. They are not obligated to put anything in writing.”
Committee member Dave Hurst asked if the city had any other recourse if the firms did not respond. Kabrick said she supposed the city could hire another engineering firm to examine the data to determine if there was a mistake. “I don’t know how effective that would be,” she said. “I can’t foresee what they would come up with.”
Meanwhile, the Krempp Construction bid of $334,000 will close on Friday, August 28, and the city is still attempting to assist The Friends of Beaver Lake in paying for the modification to raise the water level.
Kabrick pointed out that no less than five new ordinances will have to be passed by the common council to make the plan work before the bid expires. She told those attending that when Popp didn’t speak with the park board about the potential funding of $15,000 from the sale of timber around Beaver Lake and the increase in user fees and rates at the lake to help pay off the debt, it slowed the entire process down.
Additionally, the water committee had expected to make a recommendation to the Jasper Utility Service Board to consider adding $35,000 to the $140,000 raised by Friend’s of Beaver Lake. This is in addition to making a loan for the remaining balance on the bid from the water fund. The loan would be interest-free and hopefully paid off by the increased user fees. But neither recommendation was made as officials wrestled with Popp’s allegations.
Kabrick did tell the members of Friends of Beaver Lake attending the water committee meeting that the city was still going to attempt to rush the legislative process along to meet the bid expiration date.
Emergency meeting of Friends of Beaver Lake
The Friends of Beaver Lake has scheduled a meeting to collect the pledges made to help with funding the Beaver Lake spillway reconstruction.
Organizers announced the meeting will be at 1 p.m. this Sunday at Beaver Lake Lot No. 131B, which belongs to Birnie Jeffries, the owner of Green Thumb. Signs to the property will be posted.
At the meeting, personal checks (pledges) made out to the City of Jasper will be collected but won’t be cashed until an agreement has been made with the city.
Checks can also be mailed to or dropped off at the Green Thumb locations, 702 Third Ave. in Jasper or 4495 East Schnellville Road in St. Anthony. Supporters with concerns or questions can also contact Jeffries at 812-326-2414.
