Fairchance reservoirs may more capacity than believed
FAIRCHANCE – Recently completed inspections of the borough’s water reservoirs revealed that they have much larger capacities than anyone realized, the borough council’s engineering consultant said Wednesday. Consultant J. Scott Bush told council that it was believed that the reservoirs could hold 2.5 million to 3 million gallons, but calculations made after the impoundments were drained determined that they could hold significantly more.
He said the Cave Hollow Reservoir can store a little more than 5 million gallons and the Askren Hollow Reservoir can hold about 5.2 million gallons.
The inspections, which were conducted to determine whether the spillways at both reservoirs have to be widened to meet current state flood control standards, also found that valves on water discharge pipes are working properly, Bush said.
Some standing water was found at the base of the Cave Hollow Reservoir after it was drained, but Bush said he has not yet figured out why the water is there.
He said he has not yet completed the calculations for his report on the spillways.
In another water issue, Council President Herbert J. Myers and Bush said they would visit Corleen Brittain’s Beth Drive home on Friday to try to find a way to drain water that accumulates in her back yard.
Brittain said she had the water tested and learned that it contains fecal chloroform and chlorine.
Council Vice President Dora E. Miller said the tests found “trace” amounts of fecal chloroform, which might have come from a dog kennel.
Brittain said storm water lines from other properties run under her back yard and she believes there is also a spring there.
Mayor Benjamin G. Eicher said the water is also entering the yard of one of Brittain’s neighbors.
Councilman Raymond C. Eicher said the french drains that were installed in the area many years ago have probably become blocked with debris over the years, causing the water to back up into Brittain’s yard.
Myers initially said she could pipe the water, at her expense, into the storm sewer.
However, Bush said the storm line has a limited capacity and adding additional water could result in a neighbor’s basement flooding.
Councilman Eicher said there are no public easements that would allow the borough to enter the property and open the french drains.
Brittain said she hired a contractor to try to find a solution and he dug three ditches, which led to the discovery of the spring.
In unrelated business, council agreed to let Bob Kelly of Fairchance do some work at Canoe Canal in Fairchance Community Park for his Eagle Scout project.
Kelly, 17, who graduated last month from Albert Gallatin High School and is a member of Boy Scout Troop 683, told council that he plans to repaint signs, clean up litter, paint guard rails, building three benches, place mulch around shrubs and do some other work.