The Monroe County commissioners are weighing in on the side of rehabilitating Goose Pond Dam and Leavitt Branch Dam near Canadensis.

At their meeting on Wednesday, the commissioners approved submitting their preference for rehabilitation of each dam to the National Resource Conservation Service - U.S. Department of Agriculture.

At an online public information meeting about the dams on Feb. 8, information about the status of the dams was provided. Sponsored by the Monroe County Commissioners and the Monroe County Conservation District, the meeting included information regarding funding, technical and contracting support provided by the National Resource Conservation Service-USDA, and information regarding the engineering by DDK Engineering.

The presentation, which can be found on the NRCS-USDA website at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/watershed-and-flood-prevention-operations-wfpo-program/pennsylvania, stated that “the existing dam structures do not meet current safety and performance standards. (But) the dams are not less safe than the day they were built. No imminent dam safety hazards identified.”

Leavitt Branch Dam was built in 1976 and Goose Pond Dam was built in 1975. They were built as flood control dams to protect residents downstream.

The Leavitt Branch Dam needs minor repairs to concrete structure. In the event of extreme rainfall, the auxiliary spillway would have to be utilized. If there was 10.31 inches of rain in 24 hours, the auxiliary spillway could breach, according to the report.

Similarly, the Goose Pond Dam needs minor repairs to concrete structures, and the internal drainage system needs to be upgraded.

“The county is taking a proactive approach by pursuing rehabilitation of these dams,” the report stated.

The report looked at alternatives to structural rehabilitation, such as decommissioning the dams, flood proofing buildings near the dams, and doing nothing at all. Rehabilitating the dams posed the least risk to the residents.

The report also looked into types of improvements, such as reinforcing the downstream channel lining and channel energy dissipation.

“You have to look at all options and what the effects would be,” John Christy, chairman of the Monroe County commissioners, said. “We are in that process right now.”