Business & Economy

State Assessing Damage to Trails in Pittsburg and Access Issues for Camp Owners

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org | 21 hours ago

Fish and Game photo

Damage in the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Natural Area off East Inlet Road in Pittsburg.

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

PITTBURG – State officials are working with their federal counterparts to take stock of the damage inflicted on trails in the Great North Woods that suffered catastrophic damage from a rain storm July 10, which also impacted vast parts of Vermont.

It is expected to cost millions of dollars to repair culverts, bridges and dirt roads washed away and could impact tourism, particularly OHRV and snowmobiles and access to remote camps leased on land within the forest.

Johanna Lyons, state park planning and development specialist for the Division of Parks and Recreation within the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, issued a preliminary report Friday in response to questions about the extent of damage to the state’s trail system.

“On July 10th a summer storm dumped six inches of rain in the Great Northwoods region causing significant damage to the roads, crossings and bridges on the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters property.

“The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, after working diligently to make emergency repairs to roads to aid in the evacuation of lease camp owners, has been assessing the damage and consulting with the property owner, (Bluesource Sustainable, formerly Aurora), the Fish and Game Department and other stakeholders to prioritize repairs.

“The state-owned portion of Indian Stream Road was greatly impacted and will remain closed to vehicles at mile marker 8.

“DNCR recognizes that camp leaseholders are anxious to have vehicle access to their camps, and we are considering options for limited access. All roads remain open to pedestrian and bicycle use. The snowmobile trail network and connections to the statewide trail network are being evaluated. This effort will take time since some areas are still inaccessible due to the road damage.

“The ATV trail network will reopen on Saturday, however, there are some closures in place and riders are asked to follow the detours and respect barricades that are erected,” Lyons wrote.

She said the Federal Emergency Management Agency toured the property, which is mostly in Pittsburg this week and documented some of the damage.

It is calculating cost estimates.

“These repairs are unbudgeted costs which will need to be paid from operational budgets. If a disaster is declared by FEMA, then the DNCR will be eligible for reimbursement of 75 percent of costs for repairs. Current estimates are exceeding $500,000 to repair the damage, therefore, the DNCR 25 percent share is estimated to be approximately $125,000.”

The following roads are closed to vehicle use until repairs can be made; Big Brook, Indian Stream, Hall Stream, West Side Indian Stream, Coon Brook, Sophie’s Lane, and Trestle Brook that goes to Beaman Hill.

Executive Councilor Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, said he has been speaking with business owners impacted by this and 2023 rain damage from the exact same day of the year, and is trying to get more information on why funding approved June 26 by the Executive Council has not been distributed so that work can begin before the construction season ends.

He said a new law could be used as it was for significant flooding in Acworth for the state to do some of the work and be reimbursed later by using the state’s treasury but there are potential drawbacks if the federal funds do not come through in the anticipated amount.

In addition to the areas in Pittsburg there was significant damage to roads in Dalton, Lancaster and other areas of the North Country which Commissioner of Transportation Bill Cass estimates exceed $9 million for that one storm.

For more information on the Connecticut Lakes Headwater Working Forest and up to date road closures, https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/connecticut-lakes-headwaters-working-forest.

For more information on the NH Fish and Game Department managed Connecticut Lakes Natural Areas road closures, CT Lakes Natural Area’s Access Roads Closed Until Further Notice – NH Fish and Game Department (nhfishgame.com)

Recent Posts

Gov. Sununu Signs 53 Bills Into Law, Vetoes 2

HB 185: Relative to the determination of parental rights and responsibilities based on shared parenting and requiring all municipalities and school governing bodies to post on their official website the amount of funds received by the state either by allocation or grant, and relative to disability pensions for public safety employees who are victims of violence HB 645: Relative to the establishment of decentralized autonomous organizations as legal entities within the state HB 1245: Relative to release of confidential records of a person appointed a guardian and relative to patient access to medical records HB 1371: Relative to allowing the land use master plan to include a section on waste reduction HB 1456: Relative to the appointment and removal of the members of the board of tax and land appeals and the housing appeals board HB 1469: Relative to the retention of individualized education program records HB 1499: Establishing a committee to study the civilian clean energy, community resilience, and conservation corps, and establishing a committee to study the child protection act HB 1554: Relative to certified culvert maintainer program reporting and requiring the commissioner of the department of environmental services to regulate the cutting of native aquatic vegetation on submerged lands in public waters or certain public-owned water bodies and establishing rulemaking authority for such regulation HB 1567: Relative to zoning provisions concerning family and group family childcare uses HB 1607: Relative to expanded safe haven protections HB 1609: Relative to the commission on the primary care workforce and the state office of rural health HB 1712: Renewing the committee to study non-pharmacological treatment options for patients with chronic pain SB 236: Establishing a committee to study nonprofit organizations contracting with the department of health and human services for children's services SB 310: Relative to bear registration, federal duck stamps, and the transport of out of state lobsters and crabs SB 324: Relative to lottery license renewal notices SB 327: Providing penalties for the assault or harassment of sports officials SB 331: Relative to certain historic commemorations SB 337: Relative to doula and lactation service provider certification SB 338: Relative to the education professional standards board SB 355: Relative to newborn screening for cytomegalovirus SB 357: Relative to expanding the definition of providers who can certify patients of the therapeutic cannabis program SB 372: Relative to plumbing apprenticeships SB 378: Relative to the performance-based school accountability system task force SB 379: Relative to emergency action plans for sports related injuries SB 391: Relative to electric grid interconnection for certain customer generators SB 393: Relative to making an appropriation to the department of environmental services to fund regional drinking water infrastructure SB 403: Relative to the health care workforce SB 406: Making an appropriation to the department of health and human services to increase rates for shelter programs SB 433: Establishing a committee to study the marketing of e-cigarettes and e-liquid in this state, including the legality of available products, appropriate wholesale and retail compliance and tax collection system of the same SB 435: Relative to the New Hampshire unitrust statute SB 441: Relative to establishing an advisory group to examine potential funding sources for career and technical education (CTE) construction and renovation SB 449: Relative to the permit issuance timeline for state air permits and the department of environmental services duty to make annual reports SB 451: Relative to an expedited track for certain applications to the site evaluation committee SB 463: Expanding access to court-appointed counsel for children in dependency proceedings SB 473: Governing unclaimed horse racing ticket and voucher money SB 497: Relative to establishing the disproportionate share hospital fund SB 502: Relative to the scanning of drivers' licenses by real estate brokers SB 528: Relative to trustees of the university system SB 539: Establishing a procedure for the department of environmental services to transfer ownership of dams to municipalities or other interested parties SB 542: Creating a committee to study fish and game department funding and partnerships SB 544: Replacing the deer seal system with a confirmation number system SB 545: Establishing a committee to study the scope and role of veterinary technicians SB 555: Relative to receipt of pharmaceutical rebates by insurers and pharmacy benefits managers SB 556: Prohibiting health carriers from establishing payment or reimbursement provisions based solely on a participating advanced practice registered nurse's licensure SB 559: Relative to the New Hampshire vaccine association SB 572: Relative to establishing a committee to study the sharing of confidential records among members of a multidisciplinary child protection team SB 574: Relative to the appointment of a temporary agent for a minor child or incapacitated person SB 585: Relative to a property lien resulting from unpaid meals and rooms taxes SB 592: Renaming Route 127 from Central Street in Franklin to the town line of Sanbornton as Chief Bradley Haas Memorial Highway SB 595: Relative to the rates for pole attachments SB 600: Relative to the board of pharmacy and certified public accountant examinations.
AG Identifies Man Killed in Police-Involved Shooting

Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella announces the following update on the investigation into the officer-involved shooting that occurred on the evening of July 22, 2024, on Olivia Lane in Kensington, New Hampshire.
Biologists Have Theories on Why Lake Winnipesaukee Had Cyanobacteria in June

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.orgCENTER HARBOR - An unprecedented outbreak of cyanobacteria blooms across Lake Winnipesaukee in mid-June has aquatic biologists looking at a few potential causes, including one that relates to a newly discovered invasive species.Pat Tarpey, president of the Lake Winnipesaukee Association, said there were about 70 reports to the state Department of Environmental Services about these blue green algae blooms of scum identified in most all bays and even in the Broads of the state's largest lake in June, but they have thankfully disappeared on the big lake.
NH Supreme Court Justice Hantz Marconi Relieved of Her Duties for 90 Days, No Reason Given

Concord – The New Hampshire Supreme Court has issued an order stating that Associate Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi is on administrative leave with pay for a period of 90 days, which may be shortened or extended by further order of the court.
Notable New Hampshire Deaths: Londonderry Man Has a Flower Named for Him

InDepthNH.org scans the websites of New Hampshire funeral homes each week and selects at random some of our friends, relatives and neighbors to feature in this column.

Comments are closed.