Foote's Pond Public Information Session Monday

MORRISTOWN, NJ—The town public works and engineering departments will hold a public information session concerning the upcoming hydro-raking of Foote's Pond.

The session is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. at Foote's Pond Wood near the fireplace on the James St. side of the park.

"Hydro-raking is an NJDEP-approved alternative to dredging," said a statement issued by Town Engineer Anthony DeVizio, "used to restore water surface area and water depth in a pond or lake."

Work on the pond is scheduled to begin on or about Monday, Oct. 5 and will take place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, with some Saturday work possible. The work is scheduled to be confined to town property and James Street will remain open to traffic throughout the project, which will require machinery working in the water.

"A mechanical hydro-rake, similar to a backhoe and mounted on a small barge or pontoon, is deployed into the pond," DiVizio's statement said, "it rakes out and removes only vegetative matter, both live and decomposed, down to the original lake bottom."

DiVizio's statement said the material taken from the pond may have an odor, so none will be left overnight. DiVizio also addressed another concern.

"The work presents little to no threat to aquatic creatures as the pond will not be drained," the statement said, "and aquatic life will retreat to another area of the pond while a particular area is being hydro-raked."