Measures Being Taken to Assess St. Lawrence County Dam Leak
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 6 announced lower than usual water levels may be observed at the lower Bog River (Lower Lows) dam on the downstream side of Hitchens Pond in the town of Piercefield, St. Lawrence County. DEC is lowering the water to assess a leak in the dam.
The lower Bog River (Lower Lows) dam has a leak through a concrete training wall above the auxiliary spillway. The water level is lowered using the two wooden sluice gates located to the left of the auxiliary spillway. The water level will be lowered at least as low as the auxiliary spillway crest.
The gate on the lower dam road is currently closed for mud season. DEC anticipates that after the water is lowered, recreational users will be able to paddle canoes and kayaks from the dam up through Hitchens Pond, although the channel will be narrower and more obstructions will be visible.
Railroad crossing over Bog River. Photo by Phil Brown/Almanack archive
Should NYS cull feral cats?
In the United States, we have invested significant government resources toward the control of invasive species populations, with the aim of reducing their impact on native species. But there is one invasive species that has largely avoided this level of government investment and public attention: the domestic cat. For cat lovers in particular, the idea of cats being an invasive species probably borders on offensive (full disclosure: I’m really more of a dog person.)
However we may feel, though, the fact remains that cats are not native to the United States, and as birdwatcher Noah Strycker puts it, in order to find a “more successful” invasive species, “you’ll need a mirror.”
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