There are two dangerous abandoned cables spanning the Saranac River at water level within the town of Plattsburg. The first is about two miles below the Imperial Mills dam. I think it is below the Rt 22 bridge (Catherine Street) and above the Saranac Street bridge. The second cable is above the Broad Street bridge, and visible as you look upstream from that bridge.
Both cables seem to have at one time supported some sort of floating boom. Most of the floating material is now missing. At ~2200 cfs on the USGS gauge it is possible to paddle over the partially submerged cables as we did today. The cables may have been placed during contruction work along the river a few years ago.
The cables are nearly invisible. They could easily entrap and drown a swimmer, a paddler, or a fisherman who slipped and took an inadvertent swim.
Just above the upper cable on river right there is a poorly placed, poorly legible sign stating that the river is closed from that point to Green Street. I have written to the Mayor of Plattsburg ([email protected]) asking that the cables please be removed. – Kalmia
