The Upper Saranac Foundation (USF) acquired the Bartlett Carry Dam in 1993 and has operated and maintained it since. This critical structure maintains water levels of up to 4 feet for Upper Saranac Lake. The dam represents a significant responsibility for USF; as owners, we comply with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Dam Safety Standards and follow all required protocols.
The importance of properly operating and maintaining dams became a focus of DEC after the Hadlock Pond Dam — in the town of Fort Ann, just south of the Adirondack Park — failed in 2005. About 520 million gallons of water were released. Flood flows from the dam failure caused extensive damage downstream, totaling about $10 million in value. Subsequently, in August 2009, DEC adopted safety regulations that required dam owners to follow necessary inspection and maintenance needs, improving the safeguards necessary to protect communities and infrastructure.
As part of DEC-mandated requirements for dam safety, USF has hired a professional engineer to oversee our ongoing dam related projects and assist in preserving the dam. USF has developed and implemented an Inspection and Maintenance Plan, conducts routine safety inspections, performs routine maintenance, has developed an Emergency Action Plan, and obtains an annual DEC certification.
