Let’s get those dams fixed

It’s fascinating to think how two lakes changed the face of downtown Matawan.

Lake Matawan and Lake Lefferts were the apparent brainchild of developer Jacob Lefferts, for whom the larger one is named.

According to recent inspection reports, the Lake Matawan dam was constructed in 1923, and reconstructed two years later when the present concrete and steel bridge was installed.

Apparently the lake was a big success, because five years later, in 1928, nearby Lake Lefferts was created by damming Matawan Creek. Like the Lake Matawan dam, the Lefferts dam was reconstructed two years later in 1930, for some unknown reason, and again in 1958 and in 1980.

A local pictorial history includes images of the Lefferts, in what appears to be their Sunday finery, canoeing on Lake Lefferts in 1929 and of residents ice skating on a cold winter day in 1958.

The lakes have obviously enhanced the borough, turning large swampy areas into recreational focal points.

Now, unfortunately, it’s time to pay the piper. The dams that have served the borough so well are both in poor condition and need of repair.

According to Mayor Robert Clifton, there is no imminent danger. Still, according to recent visual inspections by a team of engineers, some immediate steps need to be taken.

Those steps will prove costly, but once again, the mayor says residents need not worry. The borough will obtain grant money to cover the anticipated $5 million cost per dam.

Let’s hope he’s right.

It’s also imperative that the county assume significant responsibility, since the dams are traversed by busy county roadways. The state also needs to help with the cost. The sooner the work is completed the sooner we can all go back to enjoying Jacob Lefferts’ man-made lakes.