5 Responses

1. why are they draining the lake?

2. From this weeks Lakewood Shopper

   Dear Mr. Franklin:
   Recently there has been much talk about the draining
   of Lakes Carasaljo and Manetta. Can you tell us
   about why it is done, and how?
   Thank You.
   Kalman
   Dear Kalman
   Well I’d be glad to. Years ago, the lake was so infested
   with seaweed that it looked solid green and you could
   almost walk on it. So we got together a team of marine
   biologists to fi gure how we can get it looking like a lake
   again. They determined that if we expose the seaweed to
   frost it will die down.
   So we had to fi nd a way to drain the lake during the
   winter. And that’s done by opening the valves.
   Problem is that our lake is a small part of a major water
   system. So, if we were to empty the lake, Bricktown
   would suddenly experience a surge and get fl ooded. The
   State Agency who controls the sytem would never allow
   it.
   After much effort we got a permit to progressively
   drain the lake from January until March when the herring
   swim upstream for the Spring. There is actually
   a fi sh ladder built into the dam for the fi sh who swim
   upstream into Lakewood.
   You may remember how during December of 2005 the
   area around the lake was so fl ooded that someone took
   a boat ride down South Lake Drive. At the time we were
   forbidden by the State from draining the lake lest Bricktown
   experience a fl ood of their own.
   Well, today that has changed. After much effort we
   worked out a plan with the State, and, in the event of
   any major rainstorm we are allowed to open the drains.
   Unfortunately, because of the drainage we can no longer
   experience ice skating and ice fi shing. Back in the
   good old days, the Township actually sent a jeep onto
   the frozen lake to clear the snow for great ice-skating.
   Obviously, we can longer do that. But at least we can
   enjoy our lake during the Spring, Summer and Autumn
   months.

   (Edited by Moderation Panel. Rule #4 in the site rules: “Please do not try to promote your store, business or product in a comment. We do not do free advertising, and it won’t be posted.)

3. they plan on building new townhouses on the northern side

4. Himmelstein ? Were in the world are they they buliding new houses on the north side? of the lake? & what dose it have to do draining the lake

5. The following is from an article in the Yated Ne’eman:

   While this man-made lake adds so much to the Lakewood atmosphere, it wasn’t put there for aesthetic or recreational activities. The lake actually dates back over 250 years, to the mid 1700s. At that time, people who ran saw mills needed lakes to run the power of their mills. They needed a constant water supply, even during droughts and other dry seasons. Their solution was to dam a river, thereby securing a steady water supply. They built a dam from sand that extended from where Madison Avenue and Main Street meet today, through the future home of NPGS down River Avenue. This part of the dam today is actually Madison Avenue as it winds its way alongside the lake down south.
   Over time, the saw mills were replaced by iron works. The iron ore companies likewise utilized the lake to power the bellows. The bellows would put more air onto the coal, creating extra heat which would get the iron even hotter for smelting. In the mid-1800s, the iron ore companies went out of business. Their competitors in Pennsylvania had devised a more efficient and cheaper way to cast iron, rendering the older plants obsolete.
   Around this time, speculators decided to invest in Lakewood as a resort town. The lake was then used primarily as a recreation area, which is how it’s utilized today.
   In the 1860s, Joseph Brick became a major player in Lakewood and even had the lake named after the nicknames of his three children, Caroline (Carrie), Sarah (Sally) and Josephine (Joe) Brick. Lake Manetta, which extends south of Central Avenue, is purported to be named after Brick’s wife, although her name was Margaret.
   Today, the lake maintenance is the domain of the Public Works Department, which maintains all the township recreation areas. The operational part of the dam is situated just south of Central Avenue. The township has the ability to control the water level by either raising or lowering the dam but must seek permission from the Fish and Wildlife Commission before doing so. In fact, our tax dollars pay for one person at the Fish and Wildlife Commission to give permission to lake operators to open or close their dam!
   This interesting bureaucratic tidbit became public knowledge last year when Lakewood residents got enmeshed in the red tape. Lakewood received a lot of rain over Yom Kippur, making the lake overflow onto South Lake Drive. The Public Works Department wanted to lower the dam, which would allow the excess water to run downstream, but knew of the bureaucratic hassles involved. Other township officials tried to intervene but were told that they would be arrested if they lowered the dam without authorization. They had to leave the lake alone until the water receded on its own.
   The township receives permission once a year to lower the dam. The dam is lowered in January to allow the grass and weeds that grow during the summer to get killed. The exposure of the roots to the bitter cold kills them. This enables the township to control the weeds that grow each year and to keep the lake clean. Although the lake is no longer suitable for ice skating as a result – the water doesn’t have the chance to freeze to safe levels – the township feels that this is the best way to maintain the lake. The dam is lowered for one month, in time for the fish spawning season. It is interesting to note that the dam comes with a fish ladder accompanying it. All through the spawning season, one can see the fish climb the ladder back into the lake!
   The area around the lake has undergone major improvements over the past few years. One of the most notable has been the playgrounds – one on the north and one on the south. Both are constantly used by Lakewood residents. They come with picnic tables and many other amenities that enhance the outdoor activities Lakewooders enjoy and appreciate.
   The path all the way around the lake was leveled out and covered with a stone path, making it more enjoyable for all the hikers and bikers. The increased lighting along the lake makes the area safer at nighttime, although people should still exercise caution when walking there. The four-mile trail extends all around the lake. At all times, people walk there, enjoying the fresh breeze and serene atmosphere.