Monmouth Lakes to Be Pumped Ahead of Hurricane Sandy

Monmouth County is pumping several lakes in Monmouth County in preparation for the large amount of rain Hurricane Sandy is expected to dump on the area, Sheriff Shaun Golden said.

“We have some lakes being pumped in the Belmar-Spring Lake area and then we’re pumping one in Middletown and it looks like we’re pumping one in Matawan,” Golden said. “Those are standards for us. We pump some of those retention lakes and ponds out so to get the levels down so they can receive water from the drainage basins. That’s something we learned from Hurricane Irene.”

According to Middletown Mayor Anthony Fiore, the county is lowering the level on Shadow Lake in Middletown.

The county is discussing establishing an evacuation center but the specific location had yet to be finalized and announced, Golden said.

He noted that each municipality in Monmouth County would be establishing reception centers.

“Evacuation [in Monmouth] isn’t mandatory. If you want to shelter at home, if you’re in a low-lying friend you know to stay with a friend or a family member,” Golden said. “It shouldn’t be new to our residents in Monmouth County. They’ve been through it with Irene, they know the low-lying areas and so they know they have to get out of there.”