With construction to fix Buckeye Lake Dam slated to start soon, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is asking residents to remove docks and personal property from the lake.
A notice was sent out to residents on the front side of the dam to have them removed by November.
Residents on the top of the dam were asked to do the same because of the installation of a mandatory safety fence along the edge of the state property line.
ODNR said they are asking residents to do this so they can have full access to the dam.
If any residents haven’t removed these structures by the deadline, construction crews will remove them and store the materials for up to 60 days to be reclaimed.
ODNR communication spokesperson Bethany McCorkle issued the following statement about removals:
“We are happy to work with residents on the removal of their docks so that we can get construction started as soon as possible, but we are not comfortable with liability should damage occur during the removal process. For those residents who want to ensure the condition of their dock, they may wish to hire a contractor to remove their structure properly. We are currently pursuing bids to better understand the cost of removing the docks, and we are exploring all options to minimize or eliminate the potential costs to residents. We should know soon.
FAQ – Dock Removals for the Buckeye Lake Dam Improvement Project
The following are responses from ODNR to some frequently asked questions concerning removal of privately owned docks and other personal property from the dam at Buckeye Lake to make way for upcoming site prep and new dam construction.
Q. Do we need to remove our docks that are present along the dam at Buckeye Lake?
A. Yes. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is moving forward to begin the planning, prep work, design and construction of a new dam at Buckeye Lake State Park. Site work is slated to begin as early as September 2015 at key locations on the dam. In order to continue this work, ODNR needs to have full access to the dam.
For the work on the dam to proceed as expeditiously as possible, ODNR is requesting that all docks and other structures on the front (lakeward) side of the dam wall that their owners would like to keep, which extend over the water, be removed by November 1, 2015, unless notified otherwise in writing.
Q. What special precautions do we need to take in removing these structures?
A. According to dam safety engineers, the risk of harm to the dam will be significantly reduced if dock owners do not attempt to remove the docks’ piling or support posts that have been attached to the dam wall or driven into the lakebed. Instead, ODNR will remove these during dam construction. A good rule of thumb: if a support is embedded in the ground or attached to the dam wall, leave it. Please see the accompanying illustrated examples for helpful guidance on this. In the interest of dam safety, dock owners may want to consult with a professional engineer on safe removal procedures for docks or other structures.
Q. Who is paying for this dock removal?
A. Privately owned docks and other structures over the water along the dam are the responsibility of their owners, and their removal is to be made at the owners’ expense.
For those docks and other structures over the water not removed by November 1, 2015, our construction crews will remove and store them for up to 60 days so their owners may reclaim the materials if they so choose. If these materials are not reclaimed, they will be discarded after 60 days. The 60-day time limitation is due to legal liability concerns and storage space limitations. While ODNR cannot guarantee the condition of the dock materials that are removed and temporarily stored, we will exercise care while removing the structures. Owners who are certain they will not be reclaiming these materials can sign a waiver (see attached form), and the materials will be discarded upon removal. Owners are asked to return the signed waiver to ODNR by October 1, 2015.
Q. Will we be allowed to have private docks again after the new dam is constructed? Should we store our remnant dock materials for re-installation after the dam project is finished?
A. ODNR plans to allow homeowners on the dam to have access to docks on the dam in the future, although for dam safety reasons no docks or structures of any kind will be allowed to be attached to the new dam.
Beyond that, ODNR will make sure decisions on any dock design standards are based on community input that will be sought and discussed publicly before the new dam is built. In the meantime, we anticipate there will be storage space made available for rent by one or more private vendors in the area to store owners’ remnant dock and other materials while dam construction is underway.
Q. Do we also need to remove our personal property from the state-owned dam area between our homes and the lake?
A. Yes. We are required to install a temporary safety fence along the edge of the state’s property line starting in November of 2015 to prevent unsafe public access to the construction zone and meet safety standards. The fence will be at least 6 ft. high and will come down when the project is completed.
To prevent their personal items from becoming stranded behind the fence, dam residents are urged to remove their personal property from state land situated generally between the lake and the homes along the dam crest by November 1, 2015, unless notified otherwise in writing. Examples of personal property that should be removed are private decks, patios, grills, picnic tables, benches, swings and chairs.
Also, so that construction crews have the access required to work on the dam, ODNR will have to remove any remaining personal property between the dam crest and the lake after November 1 and is unable to store these items for any period of time.
Q. The water near my dock is too shallow to work on my dock from a barge. How can dock removal work be done without that capability?
A. There are private vendors in the area who specialize in dock construction and will be able to perform this work. ODNR cannot intentionally raise the lake elevation above current safe levels to accommodate a barge. ODNR will provide dumpster services on park property for remnant materials discarded by their owners. For dam safety reasons, no heavy equipment such as cranes, excavators and forklifts will be allowed on the dam without express permission from ODNR.
Here is a list of area companies that specialize in dock construction: Cottage Maintenance (Chet Ervin), (740) 467-2904; Buckeye Lake Barge (Bob Dillow), (740) 246-6324 or (740) 404-5667; Complete Marine Construction (Frank Foster), (740) 928-0458 or (740) 404-0783; Keith Thorne, (740) 404-1729; Rawn Greenman, (740) 415-8913. This list is not exhaustive and is not an endorsement of any company.
Q. What about removing utility lines between my home and the dam?
A. Please do nothing until further notice about any utility lines between your home and the lake – for example, electric lines and drainage tiles. ODNR and dam safety engineers will develop a plan for this portion of the project and provide clear guidance to homeowners at a later date.
Q. What if I have additional questions or concerns?
A. If you have additional questions about how to safely remove your dock or other structure from the dam, you may call the ODNR Dam Risk Reduction Project information line at (614) 265-6755 on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or you may email your questions to us at DamRiskReduction@dnr.state.oh.us. For general up-to-date project information, please visit our project website at http://engineering.ohiodnr.gov/buckeyelake.
