OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Town officials are working to secure a permit to partially remove a sandbar that’s blocking the flow of water in and out of Goosefare Brook.
Officials from Old Orchard Beach and Saco met with the State Department of Environmental Protection on-site Tuesday afternoon so the DEP could take a first-hand look at the situation, said Town Manager Larry Mead.
The brook divides Old Orchard Beach and Saco, and opens into Saco Bay. The DEP agreed one of the serious concerns was the potential damage to the saltwater marsh from the freshwater backing up, and the threat to the ecosystem. The decision will allow for an expedited remedy, said Mead.
Town crews were pumping water from one side of New Salt Road to the other, to prevent a back up of water north of the road, but this was just a Band-Aid measure, said Mead.
The town is hoping to get a permit approved today so crews can go out tomorrow and breach the sandbar with a minimal amount of excavation.
“This is a good solution,” said Mead. “I’m encouraged, the neighbors are encouraged.”
The sandbar is a natural occurrence, though officials were not sure of the exact cause of its formation. Both Mead and Public Works Director Bill Robertson said from what they’ve heard, the last time this happened was about 20 years ago, and Mead said breaching the sandbar worked to solve the issue at that time.
The last time this happened, Robertson said he heard that worms in the estuary died as a result, which affected other creatures that feed on them.
The backing up of the brook drew concern from local homeowners, and there were some bystanders at the beach Tuesday.
Ken Winslow, of Seattle, said he owns a home in Ocean Park and has been coming to Old Orchard Beach for decades. He came to the beach around 10:30 a.m. and decided to take it into his own hands and “help mother nature” by digging a trench.
“It’s not a good situation,” said Winslow. “The Goosefare estuary is not meant to be all fresh water.”
By early afternoon, Winslow was joined by a handful of people, and a couple more were trickling in. Winslow said it was nice to see the community pitching in.
Mead said when residents saw officials on the beach, they came up and talked to them, and after hearing a solution was in the works, abandoned their shoveling.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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