Work begins on lowering dam at Ponderosa Park
Staff report
Salem
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is taking action to lower the eroding dam at the now-defunct Ponderosa Park Resort.
Jeremy Wenner, of ODNR soil and water resources, said the dam is in danger of giving way because of significant erosion and issues with the masonry spillway.
State Route 45 is below the dam and a catastrophic failure of the dam could significantly damage the roadway, putting motorists at risk, according to an ODNR news release Wednesday.
The resort closed June 15 after 40 years as a venue for top country acts. Bruce Howell, who manages the property, said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources wanted too many improvements on the park’s wastewater plant.
Wenner said that over the past several years, attempts were made to inform the resort’s owners of deficiencies at the 21-foot-high earthen dam, but those attempts were ignored.
“Unfortunately, our warnings and orders have been ignored by the owners of Ponderosa Park,” David Hanselmann, chief of ODNR’s division of soil and water resources, said in the news release. “We have no choice but to exercise our authority to protect the public by ensuring downstream residents, roads and properties remain safe.”
Wenner said work began Wednesday and will continue for about one month until a controlled release of the water is completed.