SENATOR BRUNO ANNOUNCES FUNDS FOR THREE WATER PROJECTS IN RENSSELAER, SARATOGA COUNTIES

Mount Ida Dam in Troy To Be Rebuilt

Thursday, August 24, 2000

Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno today announced over $1.1 million in grants from the 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act for water projects in Rensselaer and Saratoga counties, including rebuilding the Mount Ida dam in Troy, a new wastewater collection system in Sand Lake and repairs to the Schuylerville dam.

"The Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act has provided the financial resources necessary to address environmental problems throughout the state," Senator Bruno said. "The three improvement projects I'm announcing today are very important to our local communities. In particular, the renovation of the Mount Ida dam is very good news for the people of Troy and will restore the dam and the lake it created for recreational use."

> $138,000 to rebuild the Mt. Ida Dam in the City of Troy. In June 1997, the Mt. Ida dam gave way, depositing silt downstream at the Mercer Industries Dam and draining the water out of Beldon's Pond. With the dam's failure, the pond has shrunk so significantly, that it can no longer be used as a recreational resource. The reconstruction of the dam will restore the pond to it's former usefulness.

"The permanent repair of the dam will allow for the reemergence of this historic recreational, and natural resource," Senator Bruno said. "In addition, by repairing the dam, the Poesten Kill can once again be used as a source of energy for the generating plant located downstream."

Mt. Ida Dam is located within the Poesten Kill Gorge Historic District and is situated along the steep banks of the Poesten Kill between Congress Street on the north and Linden Avenue on the south.

The Mt. Ida Dam stood for more than 100 years on the Poesten Kill. The original dam was built in 1850 to provide a source of power for a bleachery and was known then as the " Bleachery Works Pond ". The dam impounded water to form Beldon's Pond. For decades City of Troy residents would fish the pond in the warm weather and would ice skate on it in the winter. In times past, the City maintained the ice and erected a warming shed for the skaters.

"There is a very strong community interest in rebuilding Mt. Ida Dam because it would benefit the neighborhood, the residents of Troy, visitors to the city, and downstream businesses," Senator Bruno said. "This project will truly help restore a part of the City's history."

The total project cost will be $184, 500, with $46,125 coming from the City of Troy.

> $977,500 for the Town of Sand Lake to build a wastewater collection system along the north portion of Crooked Lake, along Eastern Union Turnpike and the southern portion of Crooked Lake along Methodist Farm Road. This project will tie into the collection system along the eastern shore of Crooked Lake along Routes 43 and 66 to complete the system around the entire lake shore.

The entire project cost is $1.45 million, with a local match of $472,500 coming from the town.

"The second phase of this project will improve the water quality and aquatic habitat of Crooked Lake and Glass Lake," Senator Bruno said.

> $25,430 to revitalize and stabilize the face of the Schuylerville Dam on Fish Creek. An inoperable gate valve is causing water to leak around the dam on the west side.

"This dam holds back a body of water that is a vital resource to the village for fire protection and flood control," Senator Bruno said. "It's also an important part of Schuyler's Canal Park historical and recreational area."

The total cost of the project is approximately $200,000, with most of the funding coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The State bond act grants are reimbursements made to the applicants after work has been completed.

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