Brick's Lake Riviera Lowered For Emergency Dam Repairs

BRICK, NJ — An emergency repair needed on the dam at Lake Riviera has forced the township to lower the water level in the lake by at least 4 feet, Brick Township officials said Friday.

Residents alarmed by the falling water level have posted photos to Facebook in recent days, questioning what is happening as land becomes more exposed.

The lowering was ordered by the state Department of Environmental Protection, business administrator Joanne Bergin said.

A recent inspection of the dam by the township's engineering staff showed settlement on the top of the outflow pipe and they confirmed the bottom of the pipe had rotted out. Engineers from the state DEP's Dam Safety Bureau inspected in mid-June and confirmed the township's findings, Bergin said.

"Based on that, (the state) mandated the lake be lowered in order to make repairs," Bergin said. "As a Class 2 dam, there is risk for damage to property should the dam fail, and as a result, the state mandated it be lowered immediately."

The state DEP Dam Safety Bureau required the township to get a lake lowering permit, she said.

"We will proceed with making the necessary repairs once the state has approved our permit. As an emergency project, we will have the ability to proceed expeditiously," Bergin said.

Residents have expressed concerns about fish and other wildlife that are drawn to the lake. Lake Riviera is known to have largemouth bass and pickerel in its depths, among other species.

The lake lowering permit, issued by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, aims to avoid or minimize the loss of fish "and impacts to other biota," the division website says.

"The purpose of this permit is to protect the state’s important aquatic resources that reside within, and downstream of the project area," the state website notes. The timing, duration and extent of lowerings are tailored to each situation."

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