Committee flags North Wayne Dam deterioration; recommends engineer assessment and budget planning

Members of the Town of Wayne infrastructure committee reviewed recent photos and field observations showing concrete separation and seepage at the North Wayne Dam and agreed the structure needs an engineering assessment to determine structural stability and rehabilitation options.

"Water is leaking through the dam at this point," Steve told the committee while describing visible grout failures and separated concrete pieces that allow seepage through the dam face. Committee members said the town should get a formal civil‑engineering inspection to assess hazard level and to prepare a rehabilitation plan tied to the county/state hazard mitigation update.

Shannon reported the town currently has $4,000 in a capital account earmarked for dam repair and replacement. Committee members discussed setting aside additional funds — several suggested increasing the reserve to $5,000–$10,000 — and exploring matching grants and federal programs to offset local costs. They also noted past shared costs among neighboring towns when prior work was completed.

Taylor, who is coordinating the town's hazard mitigation work with the state, said the mitigation plan will prioritize inland flooding and dam breaches and that he will include the North Wayne Dam in the upcoming state coordination work. The committee agreed to place the matter on the next meeting's unfinished business and to seek specific engineer proposals and cost estimates to inform the budget committee.

Next steps: the committee asked staff to gather engineering quotes for a condition survey and to report back with recommended funding and grant options at the next meeting.