DEXTER, Maine — A dispute over the location of a primitive boat launch on Lake Wassookeag that is near the public water intake system is headed back to court.
The boat launch has been used over the years by owners of larger boats who can’t gain access to the big lake from the state’s boat launch on the smaller part of the lake because it is restricted by limited clearance under the bridge that connects the two.
When the Department of Transportation moved in 2005 to convert the primitive boat launch to a permanent boat launch, the Dexter Utilities District filed suit to stop the process. The district is opposed to the move and wants the facility closed because the public water supply’s intake system is just 681 feet away. Worried about future contamination, the trustees filed a complaint last fall in Superior Court to stop the process.
A stay of proceedings until Jan. 2 was granted by the court at the request of the district to allow the boards to work on a compromise.
Both the Dexter Town Council and the Dexter Utilities District had worked to find a solution and last month, it appeared they had. At a joint meeting, the two boards verbally agreed to lower the water level six inches to a foot in the spring to allow larger boats clearance under the bridge as a temporary measure, according to Town Manager David Pearson.
Before that measure was adopted by the Town Council last month, a Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologist weighed in.
In a letter to concerned residents, William Woodward wrote that lowering the water level would result in “consequences” to the lake trout, smelt and bass. He noted if action were taken by the town and district that was deemed detrimental to the fish populations, it would be necessary to petition the Department of Environmental Protection, which has some water level regulations, to determine property water level management.
Based on the concerns outlined in Woodward’s letter, the Town Council last month voted 6-1 not to lower the water level.
By taking the action, Pearson said the issue would revert back to court for litigation. The utilities district will then file a brief in support of its claim. The town will have 30 days to respond to the brief. Pearson said the town could either mount a legal defense in support of the DOT’s move or let the judge rule on the record.
On 1/3/09 at 8:27 AM,
jeeper1 wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
stop this nonsense let people get smaller boat for that section,use big boat at moosehead.stop polluting dexter.
On 1/3/09 at 9:12 AM,
Bangorian wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Sounds like the people with the bigger boats need to find a new place to be primative.
On 1/3/09 at 10:41 AM,
parkstreet_demon wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
for *!&^#%s sake
On 1/3/09 at 12:14 PM,
maineresident79 wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
The main problem is in the spring when water levels are high, boats need to cross underneath the bridge on Rt 23 to gain access to the large part of the lake. Most smaller boats can do this even when the water is high. We use a 16 foot boat and have problems going through in the spring. Later in the summer when water levels are down it isn’t a problem. The funny part is that the public water supply’s intake system is within feet from the bridge. When you use the existing boat launch you drive your boat beside the intake. Where they want to put the new boat landing is 681 feet from the system. The new landing would actually keep boats away from the system not closer. If they do not allow the new landing, the state should stop stocking the lake for sportsmen.
On 1/3/09 at 12:34 PM,
Richard28 wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
why was my comment removed...it wasnt bad
On 1/3/09 at 1:02 PM,
Back2Maine wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Yes, the boat traffic (small, medium, or large) under the bridge travels just a few feet from Dexter's public water intake. And the boats slow to a crawl and speed up after clearing the bridge. Wouldn't this increase the possibility of pollutants just a few feet away from the water intake? As a previous poster and the article states, the new boat landing is 681 feet from the input. Seems to me, if you open an official state boat launch on Big Wassookeag, the majority of the folks that presently launch their boats for access to Big Wassookeag would use it. Thereby decreasing the boat traffic within a few feet of the public water intake. Obviously, we all are concerned about polluting someones drinking water, but the Dexter's Untiities District logic seems a bit off. That leads me to think there's an underlying reason for their strong opposition to the official boat launch on Big Wassookeag. Could it be that they and other town powers are concerned about giving easy access to boat owners that don't have property on Big Wassookeag.....
Post a comment about this story
You must be logged in to post a comment.
click here to log in.
