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Lake Cumberland not to be lowered 30 additional
feet
NASHVILLE, TENN. (February 15, 2007) –
The US Army Corps of
Engineers is not lowering Lake Cumberland an additional 30 feet to Elevation
650 feet as has been reported by the media in the last 24 hours. The
commander of the Nashville District, Lt. Col. Steven J. Roemhildt, sent
a letter, dated 9 Feb 2007, to eleven water supply users requesting them
to lower their water intakes to elevation 650. An excerpt of that letter
states: “Based on conditions at the project, a possibility always
exists that we may lower the pool even more. Because of this real possibility,
you need to take necessary measures to allow for water intake with the
lake at Elevation 650 feet NGVD29.
We recommend that these measures be
in place no later than 31 December 2007.” (NGVD29 is National
Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929, which the vertical datum reference used
by the Corps of Engineers. “Elevation 650 feet above sea level” is
another way of saying this.) The recommendation to water supply users
is based on contingency planning by the Corps of Engineers in the event
that further lake level reductions are necessary. The decision to lower
Lake Cumberland to Elevation 680 feet and continue that lake level through
the end of 2007 has not changed. If conditions changed at Wolf Creek
Dam such as a sinkhole or an abnormal reading of instruments in the dam,
the Corps of Engineers would further lower lake elevation to reduce risk.
Currently no such condition exists and there are no plans to lower Lake
Cumberland below Elevation 680.
The Corps of Engineers has started an expedited
grouting program, where lean concrete is being pumped into the foundation
of the dam at critical locations. The Corps of Engineers plans to complete
this program around the September – October 2007 period. During the Fall of this year,
the Corps of Engineers will make a decision on the elevation of Lake
Cumberland for 2008. The elevation for 2008 may remain at 680, may be
raised or may be lowered. The Corps of Engineers will base this decision
upon the results of the grouting program and the conditions of Wolf Creek
Dam at that time. The Corps of Engineers constantly monitors Wolf Creek
Dam and continually evaluates the appropriate lake level based on conditions
at the dam and will adjust lake levels as necessary to operate the lake
and to reduce risk. |
