MACHIAS, Maine — Five months and a couple of plans later, state and Washington County officials are no further along in deciding on the location and design of a proposed dry fire hydrant that would be located at the public boat launch at Lake Cathance.
Leon Bucher, chief planner and federal aid coordinator for the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, which oversees the boat launch, indicated Friday that a second proposal from county officials had been rejected and that he would draft a plan himself.
The impetus for the dry hydrant was a fire that destroyed a home in Cooper about 2 miles from the boat launch in March; the owner later died from burns he suffered in the blaze. Firefighters had difficulty using a pumper truck to draw water from the lake, which straddles a border between Cooper and Cathance townships, because the boat launch area was not entirely clear of snow. A dry hydrant allows firefighters to attach a hose directly to a pipe connected to a nearby water supply and draw water.
The last proposal from county officials was not approved by DIF&W, according to Bucher, because of a condition in a permit the department obtained from the state Land Use Planning Commission when it developed the boat launch about 20 years ago. That condition requires a buffer area between the shoreline and activities at the boat ramp, said Bucher, who became aware of the permit and condition when he researched the proposed dry hydrant further.
The department is going to craft another proposal to present to county officials that addresses the need for a buffer area, said Bucher.
The agency’s engineer visited the site in August and has given Bucher a sketch of a proposal. He needs to assimilate the engineer’s field notes into a written proposal to communicate to county officials, said Bucher.
“That’s on my list of things to do. I was hoping I was not going to have to draw the proposal for them, but that is what I am going to do,” and hopefully county officials will approve it, he said.
Heron Weston, previously the interim supervisor for the Unorganized Territory in Washington County, first had proposed locating the hydrant next to the boat launch’s paved driveway, but after concerns were raised that a firetruck might block traffic, he offered an alternate proposal to create a small parking area off the driveway with the hydrant next to it.
Bucher said he expects to communicate something in writing to county officials in early October. He planned to telephone county officials so they wouldn’t “read it in the paper first,” he added.
The process has taken considerable time, Bucher acknowledged. He said he takes responsibility for that. He thought he had given sufficient directions and information to county officials, he said, but apparently not.
“My failure,” said Bucher.
Chris Gardner, chairman of the Washington County commissioners, said Friday he was hoping the dry hydrant could be installed before winter. However, after state officials approve the proposal, it has to pass muster with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because that federal agency provided grant funds that helped purchase the site and develop it.
The commissioners asked Weston to explore the feasibility of having the dry hydrant installed at their April meeting after he briefed them on the idea.
“We recognize the wheels of bureaucracy, especially at the state and federal level, turn very slow,” Gardner said Friday. However, he termed it “ridiculous” that the process was tied up by state officials.