McQueen's Run Bear Trap

Friday – March 18: The new bear trap on McQueen's Run is in the Wellsville news again. It was a hot topic last summer when it was built at a cost of $37,908.81. It was constructed last July and August.

Some call it a bear trap. Others call it a trash rack or water trap. Call it what you like. They were designed to catch debris washing down the stream, especially when the water level is up with heavy rain fall, snow melt, etc. They were designed to keep that debris out of the storm water drain that eventually goes through to the pondage area sending the water on to the river. Their purpose is to help prevent flooding in the lower end of town during high water times.

We were unable to attend the last Wellsville Village Council meeting but we did get to the Property Committee meeting held March 9 when concern on the condition of the new trap was first brought to light. From newspaper accounts and talk on the street there was a lively conversation on the subject at last week's Council meeting. Since it was brought to our attention, among others, at that Committee meeting and reading and hearing more on the subject from the Council meeting we missed, we decided to check it out ourselves. The trap has a “Posted” sign which we carefully avoided violating. We were able to get close enough along the banks of the stream to zoom in for a good look. Pictured in the collage above is some of what we found. We feel it's a good representation for the concern expressed. We're concerned too but you be the judge.

We've been told the trap is doing what it was designed for and “the intergrity of those tracks is 100%”. We've left there Friday afternoon wondering for how long. You can see where the gabian wall has been pushed down stream. The gabian wall is the rock, covered with a wire mesh to hold it in place. It is suppose to carry over-flow water across its surface so the banks don't get washed away. It's obvious in the pictures where the soil on the banks have been washed away. The dirt behind the left side of the trap has built up an estimated six feet since last summer. On Friday the water was only going through the trap on the right side underneath a discarded tire stuck between the metal and side wall.

The creek bed under the concrete pad in front of the trap appears washed away from underneath, creating a waterfall off the concrete. The iron work that makes up the trap is anchored by bolts in the concrete side walls on both sides. Those concrete side walls measure 24” in width. We've been told the bolts are anchored in four feet of concrete. Cracks can been seen developing in both of those cement side walls. Looking up stream the wall on the right has some kind of paper bag hanging out of it where a crack can be seen. It appears a crack on the front of the left side wall has been patched.

It doesn't appear there has been much effort in cleaning out those traps. Unfortunately the Village doesn't have the funds, proper equipment or personnel to do too much along those lines. Apparently the only cleaning that has been done is by that nearby resident using a shovel and brawn in an effort to keep the water flowing. Just in the last few weeks he has hauled nearly a dozen tires out of there.

You be the judge. From what we have seen we can understand the concern but what do we know...

ole nib