Ohio Department of Natural Resources has asked the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for help in enforcing an order that the owner of Coalburg Lake dam address deficiencies in the dam.
“The Attorney General’s Office has begun discussions with the dam owner and their attorney in order to make the dam safe as soon as possible,” said ODNR representative Stephanie O’Grady. “ODNR is very appreciative of the efforts of the AG’s Office in this and other dam safety enforcement matters around the state, and is optimistic that this dam will likewise be rendered safe this year.”
The dam is in Hubbard Township, while the lake is in Brookfield and Hubbard townships.
The request for the attorney general’s help was made after the dam’s owner, Coalburg Land Partners LLC of Cleveland, failed to respond to orders to fix deficiencies that include trees and shrubs growing on the dam, seepage from an unknown source, and spillway and drain problems. Some items were first detected in a 1999 inspection.
The owner also may breach or modify the dam, but any work must be approved by ODNR.
ODNR issued a notice of violation May 8, and the owner received an extension until Sept. 30 to submit a work schedule. When that deadline passed, an enforcement order was issued Oct. 19.
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The chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Water Resources has ordered the owners of Coalburg Lake dam to address deficiencies in the condition and management of the dam, which is in Hubbard Township.
The lake stretches into Brookfield.
State inspections have detailed deficiencies back to 2011 that include trees and shrubs growing on the dam, seepage from an unknown area and problems with the spillway and a drain, but Coalburg Land Partners LLC of Cleveland has not addressed them, ODNR said.
ODNR issued a notice of violation on May 8 that required the owner to remove trees and brush from the dam and around the spillway and submit a schedule for the required repairs by June 30. The owner said the clearing of brush and trees would begin within two weeks of June 30 and asked for a 90-day extension on providing the schedule.
An inspector found on Aug. 25 that some clearing had been done, but more work was needed, and the 90-day extension period ended Sept. 30 without a schedule being provided, ODNR said.
The order dated Oct. 19 from Chief Dena C. Barnhouse requires the owner to submit a remediation schedule by Nov. 15 and an engineering plan by May 1, with construction completed by July 1.
The owner can choose to “breach or modify the dam.” In that case, the owner must supply a schedule by Nov. 15, engineering plans by March 15, and complete construction by Aug. 31.
