As Sloatsburgers, we enjoy a great, close-knit community that is right at the gateway into Harriman State Park, home to untouched wilderness including many beautiful lakes. The park is also a destination for neighboring communities to come and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. What a lot of us might not be fully aware of is that we are also right at the gateway to Lake Sebago Dam, a dam that is nearly a century old. 

Dams are only built to last 50- 70 years until they need to be replaced or rebuilt. The last inspection was in the summer of 2020 where the dam was deemed “unsound with deficiency recognized” which is the second to highest hazard level in the rating system. There have been at least two major rainfall events since then, including Hurricane Ida. 

As we are all aware, New York has just recently passed their largest budget in the state’s history. While this news is great for the infrastructure of the state, it certainly can take some time to get money to the areas where it is needed to make improvements. 

Lake Sebago, which exists purely for recreational use, should be lowered until the sufficient monetary aid to repair the dam is acquired. The depth of the lake should be where it does not threaten the lives and livelihood of Sloatsburg residents if the dam fails. The dam itself should be repaired as soon as possible given its advanced age and deteriorating condition.

It is very possible we are one major weather event away from tragedy which could include loss of life or property as well as damage to major infrastructure that runs through the town such as the New York State Thruway and Metro North Railroad.