APA approves variance for flood-protection wall

RAY BROOK Harrietstown was granted a variance to build a taller retaining wall behind the Town Hall.

The project was brought to Adirondack Park Agency commissioners Thursday for review because the new wall will be 3 to 4 feet taller than the existing wall, built more than 100 years ago, which was ruined by spring flooding and in Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.

Snow melt and rain pushed the Saranac Lakes locks to overflowing in April and May of that year and sent Lake Flower to historic high-water levels.

The town was able to steadily release water at Lake Flower hydro dam, although the lake breached the Main Street bridge and damaged hydro-point park, threatening to inundate the Town Hall.

DAMAGE STUDIED

APA staff planner Tracy Darrah said the damage was reviewed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency after the flood subsided 18 months ago.

Since then, town and Village of Saranac Lake officials have completed engineering review and design and achieved FEMA funding review, twice.

This is very heavily damaged in this area and not repairable, she said, showing photos of where the ruined flood-protection wall skirts up to the Route 3 bridge abutment and along the Saranac River.

SHELTER SITE

The wall runs along the waterfront edge of the Town Hall and past the parking lot.

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APA approves variance for flood-protection wall