U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to Continue Elevation 680 at Lake Cumberland
NASHVILLE, TENN. (July 27, 2007) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District, has announced plans to continue to hold the level of Lake Cumberland at elevation 680 unless project conditions worsen.
At elevation 680, Wolf Creek Dam is stable and improving. The 680 level was implemented in January and has reduced hydrostatic pressure on the dam and decreased seepage, therefore lowering the risks to people and property. The project has responded to this lake level with improved project conditions that include: improved critical indicators, slightly reduced piezometers readings, and fewer wet spots downstream. Expedited grouting is continuing in the critical areas and should be complete by September.
The Corps moved up this decision from the late Fall 07 timeframe, in order to provide stakeholders more time to make decisions about next year’s recreation season and other business interests. The Corps was able to make this decision early based on the improving conditions at the dam, but Wolf Creek Dam continues to be a high risk dam with interim risk reduction measures in place and an expedited grouting program ongoing.
The reduction to 680 has impacted the project purposes of Hydropower, Water Supply, Water Quality, Recreation and Navigation, but public health and safety remain the highest priority of the Corps of Engineers. Operating Lake Cumberland at 680 feet during the construction of the Major Rehabilitation will continue to reduce risk and allow other project purposes to continue, albeit with severe impacts.
The Corps is working to establish criteria and a decision process for the future pool elevations of Lake Cumberland. This is expected to be complete by mid-September and stakeholders and the public will be informed.
In February, the Corps requested that the 11 municipal and private water supply users extend their water supply intakes to elevation 650 as a contingency planning measure. The Corps believes this recommendation is still an appropriate measure for water supply users to take. If a distress indicator was observed at Wolf Creek Dam, then the Corps would have the ability to lower the lake level without affecting the water supply for residents and for public safety use around Lake Cumberland.
The Corps has an aggressive Dam Safety Program that includes constant monitoring of all of the dams in the Cumberland River System. The Corps, in cooperation with state and local agencies, maintains emergency notification plans to be used in the event of a failure. The Corps will keep the public informed of the conditions of at Wolf Creek Dam and the progress of rehabilitation work throughout the project with news releases and postings on the website: