The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutNYS DEC 2023-2-23 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION Division of Water,Bureau of Flood Protection and Dam Safety 625 Broadway,Albany.New York 12233-3504 P:(518)402-8185 I F:(518)402-9029 www.decny.gov February 23, 2023 Michael Ford Blind Brook Club Golf Course Superintendent P.O. Box 229 Purchase, NY 10577 Re: Blind Brook Club Dam, DEC Dam ID#: 232-2747 Class C — High Hazard Dam Rye brook (V) & Harrison(T), Westchester County Condition Rating: "Unsound — Deficiency Recognized" Dear Mr. Ford: Berhanu Gonfa, Ayotunde Adebajo and I conducted a routine inspection of the Blind Brook Club Dam, a High Hazard Dam, on Feb 7, 2022 as part of the Department of Environmental Conservation's (Department) ongoing Dam Safety program. I would like to thank Jeff Sorkow for joining us during the inspection and discussing the details of the dam. I am writing to you because it is my understanding that you are or represent the owner of this structure. A copy of my Visual Observations is enclosed for your information. Inspection The left/right nomenclature used in this letter and in the enclosed Visual Observation Report is based on looking downstream. Deficiencies may exist beyond those identified here. The Department's visual inspections are not intended to take the place of a comprehensive engineering evaluation by a professional engineer. The Department's inspection observations and notes should not be relied on for "risk management/assessment" or other financially based determinations. Regulations The following table summarizes the current status of compliance for this dam for those sections of the regulations that have specific deadlines for compliance. NEWYORK Department of S IAiI Of OPPONIUMIIY Environmental Conservation Page 2 Citation Requirement Status 673.6 Develop and implement an Inspection & I&M Plan not requested during Maintenance Plan (I&M Plan). Plan does this inspection. not have to be submitted to the Department but needs to be available for inspection if requested. 673.7 Develop and distribute to the local VIOLATION — EAP, last emergency responders an Emergency reviewed in 2022, continues Action Plan (EAP). EAPs should be updated to not be acceptable. See on an annual basis. To be considered "final" comments below. a completed Promulgation and Concurrence (P&C) form must also be submitted indicating that the EAP has been distributed to and coordinated with local emergency responders. 673.8 Submit an Annual Certification (AC) to the The latest AC received was for Department January 31 of each year calendar year 2022. (certification is for the previous year). The Dam Safety Annual Certification form can be completed online through the NYSDEC eBusiness Portal at: hftps://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/95925.html. 673.13 An Engineering Assessment (EA) shall be An EA was received August performed, and an engineering assessment 19, 2014. Next EA is due report submitted to the dam safety section, August 19, 2024. at a minimum frequency of every 10 years for dams that have been assigned a hazard classification of class B or C. EAP Comments The EAP is still lacking a P&C form. Please submit a P&C form. A P&C form can be downloaded from the Dam Safety webpage at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/58691.html. Condition Rating The Department Assigned to the dam a Condition Rating of "Unsound — Deficiency Recognized" via a July 24, 2019 letter from Syed Alam. The Condition Rating was due to the dam's inadequate spillway capacity, as revealed in the 2014 EA. The Condition Rating is still valid as the dam has not been rehabilitated yet and the EAP is not acceptable. This Condition Rating means that the deficiencies at the dam are of such a nature that the safety of the dam cannot be assured. This is a violation. Page 3 Please keep in mind that any repair or construction activities related to the dam may require permits from the Department. Well before beginning work on the dam, please check with the Regional Permit Administrator at the Department's Region 3 — New Paltz office at (845) 256-3054 to see if any permits are required. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by phone at 518-408- 0338, or by e-mail at john.smithta')_dec.ny.gov. Sincerely, John Smith, P.E. Professional Engineer 1 (Environmental) Dam Safety Section ec; Jason A. Klein, Village of Rye Brook, Mayor, mayorCcDryebrook.org Rich Dionisio, Town of Harrison, Supervisor, rdionisioC@harrison-ny.gov Dennis Delborgo, Westchester County, EMO, drd2(a)westchestergov.com Donald Canestrari, NYSDEC, Dam Safety Section, Chief Ayotunde Adebajo, NYSDEC, Dam Safety Section Berhanu Gonfa, NYSDEC Region 3, Dam Safety Representative Page 4 Michael Ford Blind Brook Club Golf Course Superintendent P.O. Box 229 Purchase, NY 10577 mford(cD blind brookclub.org New York State Department of Environmental Conservation _ Bureau of Flood Protection and Dam Safety NNW Visual Observations DAM NAME Blind Brook Club Dam STATE ID 232-2747 SECTION C HAZARD CODE C COUNTY Westchester INSPECTION DATE 2/7/2023 NEAREST DS CITY/TOWN Rye INSPECTOR(S) BXG/JZS/ATA OWNER'S NAME BLIND BROOK CLUB DOWNSTREAM HAZARD High TOWNSHIP Village of Rye Brook Town of Harrison WATER LEVEL BEHIND DAM Impoundment is drained DRAIN OPERATION Reportedly drawn down at the end of the gol season DEFICIENCIES ❑ 1)Seepage ® 4)Maintenance ❑ 7)Cracking ❑ 2)Slope Stability ❑ 5)Surficial Deterioration ❑ 8)Movement/Misalignment ❑ 3)Undesirable Growth ❑ 6)Voids ❑ 9)Data General: —Inspected with Jeff Sorkow —Trees and brush within 20 feet of the dam perimeter. Upstream: —Efflorescence and horizontal void along construction joint. Dam Crest: —Minor concrete deterioration and cracks. Downstream: —Low spot on right abutment. 02/07/2023 Page 1 of 5 k t 'k �kr Pho'ttoo 1 Dam ID# 232-2747 Blind Brook Club Dam 02/07/2023 Upstream Face y. Photo 2 Dam ID# 232-2747 Blind Brook Club Dam 02/07/2023 Upstream Face 02/07/2023 Page 2 of 5 r Photo 3 Dam lD# 232-2747 Blind Brook Club Dam 02/07/2023 Left Dam Crest �L7 Photo 4 Dam lD# 232-2747 Blind Brook Club Dam 02/07/2023 Dam Crest 1 1 I of .L•`a 1 r Photo 5 Dam ID# 232-2747 Blind Brook Club Dam 02/07/2023 Right Dam Crest , "�,� A �. �._ ,(.,•>�•R�' ' . `err � Photo 6 Dam ID# 232-2747 Blind Brook Club Dam 02/07/2023 Right Abutment Note: Low Spot 02/07/2023 Page 4 of 5 .i i jr.t.. •�v Photo 7 Dam ID# 232-2747 Blind Brook Club Dam 02/07/2023 Downstream Face Photo 8 Dam ID# 232-2747 Blind Brook Club Dam 02/07/2023 Low Level Outlet Conduit 02/07/2023 Page 5 of 5 BLIND BROOK CLUB 1A ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT(EA) RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT1 PROGRESS • EA DESCRIPTION DESIGN 1R CONSTRUCTPERMIT ITEM IMPLEMENT Repair and remediate concrete N/A(DEC 1 (cracks, spalls, honeycombs, December 2014 July 2015 letter dated November 2015 Completed eroded joints) 7/29/15 TV Inspection of 36" outlet pipe December 2015 N/A N/A N/A Completed Repair of sluice gate operating December 2014 November N/A November 2015 Completed ste m 2015 Construction attempted in 2015. Location was Installation of trash rack at the March blocked by organic 4 sluice gate/outlet pipe 2016 2023 2024 2026 mass. Permitting and construction to be incorporated into spillway ro�ect. Increase spillway capacity to 5 convey Spillway Design Flood In Progress SD 5A Initial draft Alternatives Report May 2015 N/A N/A N/A Completed Initial discussions with adjacent 513 landowner re: spillway alternatives 2015-2017 N/A N/A N/A Completed (closure dike vs. lateral weir " Safety Inspection 2017/2018 N/A N/A N/A Completed Detailed discussions with adjacent 5C landowner re: spillway and closure 2018 N/A N/A N/A Completed dike 5D Property Master Plan Update 2018 2019 N/A N/A Completed Irri ation, Drainage, Spillway) p Safety Inspection 2019/2020 N/A N/A N/A Completed 5E Final Spillway Report based on 2019 N/A N/A N/A Completed Approval of Master Plan p 5F Property Master Plan Local Permit N/A N/A 2020 N/A Completed Irrigation Pump Replacement N/A 2020 N/A 2021 Completed within Intake Riser Safety Inspection 2021/2022 N/A N/A N/A Completed 5G Capital Plan by Owner N/A 2022 N/A N/A In Progress 5H Submit spillway report to NYSDEC 2022 N/A N/A N/A Future 5J Spillway design N/A 2022 N/A N/A Future 51 Negotiate and secure land rights 2023 N/A N/A N/A Future ' Safety Inspection 2023/2024 N/A N/A N/A Future 5K Spillway Local Permit(Harrison) N/A N/A 2024 N/A Future Page 1 of 2 BLIND BROOK CLUB 1 ► ENGINEERING ' ►) RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT► 1 PROGRESS DESCRIPTION INVESTIGATE DESIGN OR PERMIT CONSTRUCT STATUS IMPLEMENT 5L Spillway Local Permit(Rye) N/A WA 2024 WA Future 5M Spillway Permit(DEC) N/A WA 2024 N/A Future Future(may be Next EA Due 2024 N/A N/A N/A extended by DEC during spillway ermit rocess 5N Update Capital Allocation by Owner N/A 2025 N/A N/A Future LSafety Inspection 2025/2026 N/A N/A N/A Future 5*0 Construct spillway N/A N/A N/A 2026 Future Page 2 of 2