WAYNE COUNTY, Pa. — Lower Woods Pond in Lebanon Township, near Honesdale, has been dry since 2012. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) had to drain the pond after a leak was discovered in the dam, causing concern for homes downstream.
"At a lot of points, people thought these lakes were going to be dead, and they weren't going to come back," said Tim Schaeffer, executive director of the Fish and Boat Commission.
After all those years, the lake is being refilled to bring it back to its former glory.
"We have a lot of people that come here from all over the world to fish because we have world-class fisheries. The work that the Fish and Boat Commission are doing in Wayne County I can't say enough about," said Wayne County Commissioner Brian Smith.
The $2.6 million project included a dam replacement, spillway, and other infrastructure upgrades.
Matt Moors from Bucks County owns property near the pond and says he will move to the area soon. The avid fisherman is looking forward to spending his retirement by the water.
"It's great because it's not too far from my place, and I have these great places to fish. The way the Fish Commission is doing all of these upgrades, it's great," Moors said.
Officials say they will now start the process of restocking fish.
"Fishes we envision here are largemouth bass, black crappie, yellow perch, bluegills, and eventually, we hope to get it back into the wildlife program," said Daryl Pierce, fisheries manager for PFBC.
Officials with the PFBC say other ponds in the area are next on the list for improvements.