This summer OCWA will begin repair and reinforcement of the concrete walls at its Otisco Lake Dam site. Otisco Lake is the main source of water supply for OCWA customers living in western Onondaga County. The dam improvements will consist of realigning the vertical retaining walls and resealing degraded areas of the wall that have been damaged over time. These retaining walls exist for emergency situations when excessive flooding or rain storms raise lake levels to such an extent that water flows over the dam and the walls serve to redirect the water back into Nine Mile Creek which begins at the dam. The Otisco Lake dam is located on the north end of the lake off of Otisco Valley Road.
Construction is expected to begin mid-July. Contractors have already started surveying the area and the project is expected to last approximately one month. The company which won the competitive bid for the work is Lupini Construction out of Utica, New York.
Every ten years OCWA conducts a full-scale engineering assessment of the Otisco Lake dam. Any potential identified deficiencies are scheduled for prompt repair. The dam holds back approximately four billion gallons of water, making this an important project and a priority for OCWA. 
Any questions or concerns about the dam improvement can be directed to Andrew Weiss, OCWA Executive Engineer, at 315-455-7061, extension 3108 or ajweiss@ocwa.org.