DeLauro on Lake Beseck: 'I Will Do Everything I Can"

Middlefield officials are hoping the federal government will step up to help the town clean up Lake Beseck.

On Thursday, members of the town's newly formed lake environment ad-hoc committee met with U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-3) to discuss water quality issues at the lake and preliminary plans to begin fixing them.

"I will do everything that I can," said DeLauro, who several times commented on the beauty of the lake while visiting the home of lakeside residents Craig and Sharon Lundell.

"It's beautiful. It ought to be used for what it was meant to be in terms of the recreational aspects of it," the congresswoman added.

Although the lake is owned by the state, the town has been left with the responsibility of managing the lake, including the cost of remedying the eutrophication of the waterway, officials said.

Selectman Ed Bailey said the town has set aside about $90,000 in the 2013-2014 budget to pay for a required study of the lake and some preliminary engineering work but estimated that the town would need between $600,000 and $800,000 to pay for entire project.

"The town's taking it more seriously and we're trying to elevate it to a higher status within the town," Bailey said.

The committee is hoping to take advantage of the planned 12 to 14-foot drawdown of the lake by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which will begin fixing the lake's dam in September.

"We see a golden opportunity here," said First Selectman Jon Brayshaw. "We've been pushing and trying to learn about what we can do in this ideal situation, while the lake is drained."

Preliminary plans include dredging targeted areas of the lake to remove built up sediment in order to reduce invasive species.

Lake Beseck is one of only a few lakes in Connecticut that allows water-skiing, a recreational activity that attracts visitors from all over the state, committee member Dick Boynton said. Because fisherman also use the lake's public boat launch, Boynton and other committee members told DeLauro that the cost of the clean-up shouldn't fall entirely on the town's taxpayers.

"Its really not fair. if everybody in the state can use it the lake, why should we pay for it," said committee member Dick Boynton.

DeLauro said she planned to bring the issue to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

"I would welcome the expert advice as to what makes the most sense. Let's just see what kind of federal, state and local partnership we can form," she said.

15 years ago, DeLauro was able to help secure over a million dollars for a new sewer system at Lake Beseck which helped to improve some of the water quality issues at the lake. 

She said she also planned to contact state officials about possible funding the lake improvements.

"This location is primo," Brayshaw said. "The nicest thing about it is, regular people in Middlefield can live on a body of water that's second to none."

"And why shouldn't they," DeLauro said.