Boating to resume on the Assunpink soon
New dam technology used in construction of concrete ramp
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

Above: Construction takes place at Assunpink Lake where a new dock and boat ramp are being built.

UPPER FREEHOLD - Boats will have a new launchpad into the Assunpink Lake by the end of November.

The boating traffic at the 225-acre lake in the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area started getting so heavy in recent years that the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife decided this year to upgrade the gravel boat ramp to a concrete one.

The state Division of Fish & Wildlife began construction of the new ramp on Aug. 28. Since construction started, the existing ramp and entire parking area at the lake have been closed to sportsmen and the general public. The project is expected to be completed on Nov. 27.

The creation of the cement boat ramp could not have as easily taken place without the innovative technology of a product called Portadam.

The Portadam is a temporary, portable, water-diversion or fluid-retention system used in open water up to 12 feet deep. The device can be used for construction, rehabilitation, flood protection and inspection projects in rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs and other retaining areas, according to Bob Gatta, Portadam's CEO.

At right: A Portadam enables concrete forms to be constructed for a new boat ramp while the environment at Assunpink Lake is preserved.

"By using a unique, freestanding, steel support system and impervious fabric membrane, the Portadam technique allows many types of in-water construction to be accomplished in a dry condition without the need for excavation or fill, costly pile driving equipment, or time-consuming sandbag dikes," Gatta said.

The Portadam system consists of two main components, a welded tubular steel framework support and a flexible, waterproof membrane permitting easy installation in any configuration and over uneven bed contours, according to Gatta.

In contrast with driven sheet piling, the Portadam literally free-stands on the existing bed, eliminating the need for pile driving equipment, crossbracing and anchorage, according to Gatta.

Portadam, a Williamstown-based company, worked closely with locally based Loftus Construction during the creation of the new boat ramp in the Assunpink. The Portadam system dewatered the work area in the Assunpink to permit excavation, forming and concrete placement in the dry area, according to Gatta.

Funding for the project - including the estimated $16,000 it cost for the Portadam - came from the New Jersey Department of the Treasury.

Gatta said the advantage to using the Portadam to dam up the lake for the installation of new ramp over regular steel piling is that the Portadam is less expensive and more environmentally friendly.

"It doesn't add silt to the water," he said.

Assunpink Lake is known for its large mouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, chain pickerel, channel catfish, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed.

"Within two to three weeks, the boat ramp will be back in action," Gatta said.

Portadam has helped in the creation of boat ramps similar to the one in the Assunpink all over the United States and Canada. The company is currently building a 350-foot ramp in a marina in Califor-nia, according to Gatta. The company provides more than just boat ramps, though, according to Gatta. It creates pipeline crossings, helps with bridge and pier repairs, and performs environmental remediation.

"In lots of cases, we stabilize stream banks and help contractors perform their work in areas of water," Gatta said.

Providing access to stream beds with an advanced system compared to steel piling, Portadams cost one-half to two-thirds less than steel piling mainly because they do not require heavy equipment for installation, according to Gatta.

For more information about Portadam, visit www.Portadam.com.