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They had better figure out a plan B for Cumberland. Taking that lake down to 650 will destroy that entire community down there. This is serious folks, bad serious. Russell Springs, Jamestown, Monticello, Somerset, just to name a few depend on that lake for it's livelyhood. There has got to be another way surely.
Don't panic Mark. First off taking the lake down to 650 IS PLAN B and they (the Corps and the Governors office) have already said that taking the lake down to 650 would be the LAST RESORT in order to SAVE LIVES AND PROPERTY down river from the ****. From what I have seen on the news and in the newspapers, they are very aware of the problems that would be caused by taking the lake to 650 but they are also aware of the death and destruction that THEY WILL GET BLAMED FOR IF THE **** BREAKS.
Grumpy
[QUOTE=Grumpy;286962]Don't panic Mark. First off taking the lake down to 650 IS PLAN B and they (the Corps and the Governors office) have already said that taking the lake down to 650 would be the LAST RESORT in order to SAVE LIVES AND PROPERTY down river from the ****. From what I have seen on the news and in the newspapers, they are very aware of the problems that would be caused by taking the lake to 650 but they are also aware of the death and destruction that THEY WILL GET BLAMED FOR IF THE **** BREAKS.
Grumpy[/QUOTE]
I want to make it clear that I would never put life and limb ahead of my selfish pleasures. But unless I read the Curious Journal wrong this morning it sounded to me like a done deal with this 650 elevation thing, maybe I'm wrong and I pray I am. There is alot of good folks down there and some of my married into family that will really suffer if that lake is lowered to that level.
From the things I'm reading, it sounds like the move to 650 will occur about this time NEXT year (Jan./Feb.). I think they're telling people now so that if they are making preparations, they are making them for that level rather than 680 - i.e. making ramps long enough, etc.
I read the same article in the C-J and that is why I said that the 650 level IS PLAN B. If I understood it correctly, they are going ahead with the first phase of the repairs WHILE HOLDING THE LAKE AT 680 and then "after reviewing the effectiveness of the first phase of repairs in the fall, the agency may decide that a lower lake level is required to ensure public safety."
It sounds like, unless something unforeseen comes up, they are going to keep the 680 level thru this year, which will give everyone time to come up with plans for a further draw down if that becomes necessary.
Grumpy
This can sort of be compared to the New Orleans/Katrina disaster. The Corps of Engineers had stated many, many times that the city of New Orleans could not withstand a hurricane greater than a Class 3. Funding to increase the defense against a hurricane of larger magnitude could never be secured, mainly because politicians felt that a hurricane larger than a Class 3 wouldn't hit New Orleans any time soon. Well, you know the results of all that.....I think it was a wakeup call to any and all risks that are being taken by not securing funding for projects where lives might be at stake.......
In the Cumberland situation, disaster is in the future and they are taking the necessary precautions to prevent it as much as possible. As they have stated so many times, life is of greatest importance. The Corps of Engineers is investing in prevention, rather than waiting and dealing with the cost of destruction.
I really wish you guys would read this Q & A page from the Corps:
[url]http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/pao/issues/WOLcommo/Q&A.htm[/url]
I fully support the Corps of Engineers decisions and know that they are doing all they can to make this as painless as possible and to preserve the lake. There will be many federal dollars that are going to be lost with the drawdowns and repairs, so everyone is going to suffer. I'd rather see the government spend milllions to make repairs now, rather than see them spend BILLIONS when the dam fails.............