News on dropping the lake 30 MORE feet

[motalot]

WKYT-TV (Lexington), Feb 14 07...

Problems at Lake Cumberland could get much worse before they get any better. Work by the Army Corps of Engineers on the Wolf Creek Dam could effect much more than tourism.

Local and state officials are trying to figure out ways to meet some big challenges.

The Corps announced that they may need to lower the water another 30 feet. Right now lake levels are at 680 feet and could potentially go as low as 650 feet.

If the level needs to be lower, it will effect water intake for a power plant in Somerset, as well as local water sources.

The state government is also running ads to continue to encourage tourism in the area.

The governor says he would not rule out calling a special legislative session if more money is needed to deal with the possible crisis around Lake Cumberland.

[buzzking]

Confirmed, somerset has already met with consultants to prepare for measures of the lake at 650.

[mhall]

This is terrible news, hell at 650, they might as well drain the **** thing.

[STONEWALL]

Bad news for sure!!! I hear tax rates in the area on the increase very soon.

[dcbasser]

This is terrible news, hell at 650, they might as well drain the **** thing.

From the pics I seen a little while ago it that will pretty much shrink her to nothin. Anybody up for some mud tubing. By this summer this will be about all there is.

[roberte68]

Not looking good for the big C, it wasn't that long ago they were saying oh we should not have to go any lower than 680... Makes one wonder what they will have to do in 6 months.

[Rangerman]

Anybody know at what level it reachs the old river channel?

[buzzking]

no sure what the elevation on the old channel is but 610 is as low as the lake can go by opening the gates. At that elevation, the sluice gates will not flow out as fast as its coming in.

[artcarney_agr]

This is amazing! Seven years until completion?!?! Judging by what the Corps. says, total loss of the fishery is very much possible..........then 15 years to get it back up to a decent fishery again!

I guess all of this work is better than the alternative - I'd hate to see people lose their lives.........

[Chubminnow]

I saw the pictures too...I guess the people who are supposedly in the know, people who work for the local toursim department, etc...(maybe even some of the guides for that matter) were not fully aware of what 680' would really be like. According to some of these folks, at 680' there would still be "plenty of water". Also, judging from the pictures we've all seen produced this week, it's mighty hard for me to imagine the lake being dropped to 650', surely dropping it that low would leave a lot of the Marina's high and dry...I hope it doesn't have to happen.

[Jbyrd]

I saw the pictures too...I guess the people who are supposedly in the know, people who work for the local toursim department, etc...(maybe even some of the guides for that matter) were not fully aware of what 680' would really be like. According to some of these folks, at 680' there would still be "plenty of water". Also, judging from the pictures we've all seen produced this week, it's mighty hard for me to imagine the lake being dropped to 650', surely dropping it that low would leave a lot of the Marina's high and dry...I hope it doesn't have to happen.

The reason the people in the know thought there would be plenty of water at 680 is ,THERE IS !!!!!. The pictures you are seeing right now is nothing different than what used to happen EVERY winter just a few years ago. Pictures you are seeing are the heads of the creeks that lose all of their water during a normal winter draw down. Look at the lake at waitsboro, still 80 ft deep and 300 yards wide. GUYS that is still alot of water. Drive down to Lees Ford and look at all the stake beds that are exposed. Some of them are still in the water. That land was dry when they where put in the lake, so duh that must mean it has been there before !!!
OF course if they go down to 650 that is another ball game.

[mhall]

The reason the people in the know thought there would be plenty of water at 680 is ,THERE IS !!!!!. The pictures you are seeing right now is nothing different than what used to happen EVERY winter just a few years ago. Pictures you are seeing are the heads of the creeks that lose all of their water during a normal winter draw down. Look at the lake at waitsboro, still 80 ft deep and 300 yards wide. GUYS that is still alot of water. Drive down to Lees Ford and look at all the stake beds that are exposed. Some of them are still in the water. That land was dry when they where put in the lake, so duh that must mean it has been there before !!!
OF course if they go down to 650 that is another ball game.

680 doesn't bother me a bit and it's been several years since it's been at 680, but you are right it has been there before. However if they take it to 650 you can kiss the fishing at the big C goodbye, the summer heat will nuke it, count on it, there has got to be another way. I still say people are in no danger down stream at 680 as long as a complete dam failure doesn't occur, and how many of those have you ever heard of in your lifetime.