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Un-Official Gathering Summary Tamarack Flowage – July 1, 2008 9 a.m. at Site Terry Cummings, Water Management Engineer Wisconsin DNR – Rhn Service Center 107 Sutliff Ave Rhinelander WI 54501 Tel 365-8938 Fax: 365-8932 Present: Terry Cummings, James Hedberg, Tom Christofferson, Karen Christofferson, Connie Scherf, Bill Green, Joanie Green, Jim Hessenauer, Ann Hessenauer, Jim Luft, Richard Ruffalo, Larry McCarthy, Jeri McCarthy, Ed Bliss, Karen Bliss, George Bright, Thomas Jendrzenjak, Bob Pohlman and Les T. Steiner. Inspection was made and discussion along with presentations by long-time property owners at both the culvert site and the site of the old washed out dam. It was stated by more than three persons, that the Town of Conover put in the present culvert during the 1940’s (thought to be 1946) during time that Carl Engelbrecht was chairman. Steiner has pictures of a town roadman with Chic Federer pushing down the hillsides to block the flow and level the area of the washout. Less Steiner stated that two factions proposed the place to put the spillway. The present location was that of the Johnson family and a rock dam originally went in there and over the years, a struggle ensued to leave the rock dam there or remove it. The logs were floated down the creek to the Wisconsin River. The original road that now dog legs at Steiner’s property, originally went through the properties of Christofferson, Hessenauer, Bliss etc. The culvert was put in by the rock dam to cross to the other properties which were on Baker Lake Road. According to Cummings, an engineered dam starts at around $40,000 and then there must be engineering studies and flood impact studies putting the cost up much, much higher. When first talking of the town not having anything to do with this, it was thought that the culvert was put in as part of the original second dam. It appears to me that the 2nd dam or spillway in the current location was the un-permitted dam and then the town went ahead and put in a culvert. Jim Luft spoke of times that the spillway rock dam was torn out and then put back in. The Christoffersons and Steiner stated that big hills in the area South of Lenz were cut down to almost level ground to fill in the washed out original permitted dam. There are instances of permits for an elevated culvert – this is considered a dam by the DNR but permits can be obtained. Estimated fee around $500 and then a study of the flood impact down stream would be made so that a hazard rating can be put in place. Floodplain zoning would also impact few as the state and county are the property owners down stream. It was suggested that a petition be made to encourage the town to replace their culvert (due to sagging middle and hazard) and by doing so with a culvert, impact little on the taxpayers but at the same time, to meet the standards of the DNR and state, having to go through the permit process and work with the DNR in meeting their specs. According to Hedberg, being that the road is a town road now and that the culvert at the time of placement was considered only a culvert (not a dam), the town should be able to receive its normal culvert aid (50%) from the Vilas County. A consensus of the persons there agreed that this would be the only logical route to take. Hedberg stated that he would provide names and addresses of all those person impacted by the water providing recreational facilities and a county boat landing on the area. The area is fed by Baker Lake, Spring Lake along with a creek from Marshall Lake. With the petition of names of affected property owners, it is requested that the DNR and Mr. Cummings present as much data and information regarding the processes discussed above with the Town Board at its regular monthly meeting on August 7th at which time, all can be made aware of such actions and decisions. Summarized by Clerk James M. Hedberg
Archive of Past Meeting Minutes