Bear Pond Timber Salvage operation
Coastland llc, d.b.a. River Drive Lumber, is in the permitting process with the State of Maine to conduct a salvage operation on Bear Pond. This operation, beginning late spring of 2012, will be focused on retrieval of sunken timber that was once harvested for lumber production decades ago. Per section 8 of the Sunken Log Salvage Rule, a designated “Take-Out Site” must be pre approved, as to not interfere with public trust. The letter that can be can be accessed via the link at the bottom of the page has been sent to Waterford selectmen, who are expected to make a decision in late March.
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This snapshot was taken in March, 1939 showing the “Hurricane timber” along Bear Pond. Acres of logs from the fallen timber filled the area and colored the pond, according to an attached note from Miriam Monroe to Margaret Werner. Waterford Historical Society photo |
According to company information provided, this will be a small salvage operation consisting of the removal of an average of two logs at a time. Logs will be located and lifted from the bottom via a sonar, camera and grapple system. The exact location of each log is known. Once logs are raised, they are secured under the boat. The boat is then loaded onto its trailer, just like any other boat would.
The State of Maine department of Parks and Lands has requested Matthew Albrecht of Coastland seek written permission from the town to utilize the boat launch for this activity. The vessel is a 20’ pontoon boat and its put-in/take-out procedure, with or without logs, is no different than any other pontoon boat of its size. Logs will not be stored at or near the launch site, and when logs are secured under the boat they do not drag on the ground. This procedure has already been tested on this body of water without issue. The boat will be launched and the vehicle will be moved out of the way. Logs will be raised and secured under the boat, then reloaded onto the trailer.
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