BROCTON — Eric Wies of Clark Patterson Lee Engineering approached the Village Board in January to discuss the future of three separate issues within the village.

Discussion began with the reservoir that used to serve as the water supply for the village. The facility is out of commission, and Wies said there has been internal discussion about what to do with the facility.

To start, Wies has reached out to the DEC for an inspection and assessment, and will continue to follow up until he gets answers. However, the biggest factor the village of Brocton must consider in regards to the reservoir is the plan for if the dam bursts.

“The major ticket item that is listed in here is really dealing with the vulnerability of if there is ever a catastrophic failure with that dam, who is in the line of fire?” said Wies. “In order to do that, we have to create some modeling… You take data and map it, and it will tell you if the reservoir fails, what properties are in the line of fire.”

Wies added that the village doesn’t need the reservoir as a water supply. In wondering what to do with it, Wies proposed the question of if it is even worth maintaining.

“We don’t need this reservoir anymore for a water supply,” Wies said.

“Do we want to maintain this reservoir, which in all reality, is a pretty big liability.”

In terms of keeping it, the reservoir does provide some flood protection for the village, prompting Wies to ponder another course of action of converting the reservoir into a stormwater retention basin.

“Normally the water level would be substantially lower than it is now, and if you do get an event, it could retain it,” Wies said. “But then you’re back to having to maintain an eye hazard dam that’s a liability.”

Wies told the Village Board that he will tell them when the DEC gets back to Clark Patterson Lee about the timetable for the reservoir.