County: Saffins Pond Project Delayed Due to Hurricane Irene

Many Jefferson residents are all too aware of the extensive damage caused when Hurricane Irene tore through the state in late August.  Irene also caused havoc on a long-term project in town, the in Mahlon Dickerson Reservation.

The project started in late April, and was scheduled to be completed by year-end, according to Arthur Vitale, assistant director of the engineering commission for the Morris County Parks Commission. However, Irene threw a monkey wrench into those plans, particularly when heavy rains caused the dam, which was in the midst of construction, to breach.

“Hurricane Irene certainly put us behind schedule, but we are working on a revised plan to resume work,” Vitale said. “Until we can work out what additional restorative work is necessary, we are not sure when we can continue. We are hoping to start soon, but as we look at the upcoming winter weather, we may not be able to complete the job until next spring. We are awaiting revised plans from our consultants, and then we will need to get prices from contractors for the work.”

When the dam was breached, the excavation that was in place was washed out, making it necessary for additional work to be done at the site.

Vitale also noted that the parking lot at Saffins Pond will remain closed until the project is complete.

“Since the dam was breached, that part of the park is not safe for people to walk in. We would prefer that people not park in that lot and walk near the dam,” he said. “In addition, we will be building a 130-foot bridge over the dam, and we need the parking lot area to store the pieces of the bridge.”