Somerset — Congressman Hal Rogers had some good news for all of the Lake Cumberland area yesterday — especially those who count on tourism dollars to get by.
Rogers announced that Lake Cumberland will be raised by as much as 10 feet above current levels in advance of next summer’s tourism season.
“I met with the Corps of Engineers leadership yesterday, and I'm pleased to announce that the largest lake east of the Mississippi is on its way to normal water levels,” said Rogers. “Our tourism community pulled together and exceeded visitor expectations this summer, and their jobs will be a little easier next summer.
Rogers said the Army Corps of Engineers decision “comes as structural repairs on Wolf Creek Dam are on track to support incrementally higher water levels.”
“I’ve been pressuring the Corps hard ... and they’ve been working hard,” Rogers added. “Everyone knows how we’ve been impacted here above the dam. Of course, we’re not the only folks impacted — the safety of those beneath the dam have to be considered first and foremost.”
The Corps is working on a $309 million, five-year construction project that will address dam leakage problems that go back four decades. Lake Cumberland is at 680 feet — a drop of 43 feet from normal levels. Repairs include installing a new concrete diaphragm that will alleviate the porous foundation the dam was originally built on.
“The Corps will make a final determination of the exact water level in early 2008 as Wolf Creek Dam repairs continue and structural test data is analyzed,” Rogers said. “Based on current progress, indications are that the lake will be raised up to 10 feet this spring. I’d like it to be more — but it’s definitely a start.”
Rogers has secured $98 million for dam repairs this year. The Somerset congressman said he is monitoring the situation “at the top levels of the Corps of Engineers to ensure they have all the resources needed to complete the project as soon as possible.”
Rogers also said yesterday that there may be a “silver lining” to the lowered lake levels. His office is working with the Corps of Engineers to dispose of the debris that dots the Lake Cumberland shoreline.
“This would be an ideal time to clean up the shoreline, and there are several different ways we could do it,” Rogers said. “Burning the debris is an option in the fall, after we get past the fire season. We have to get permission from the state, but I think (the Corps) is working on a plan for a major cleanup.”
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He said a cannon is being used by a resident on Laura Lane off Ky. 39; another is in the Oak Hill Road area and a third is on Ashurst Street in the eastern part of Somerset.
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At 10 minutes after noon Wednesday, the “boil water” advisory for the Western Pulaski Water District was lifted — almost a full week after the problems began around 1 p.m. last Thursday.
Prior to that, the Somerset Water Service — along with the other water providers in its system, including Science Hill Water, Southeastern Water, and Eubank Water — lifted their advisories, with Somerset on Saturday afternoon and the last, Southeastern, by Monday morning. Western Pulaski was the last in the system to complete sample testing for potential contaminants, due to not being able to access its Pikeville-based testing lab until Monday.
Somerset Mayor Eddie Girdler thanked the public for its patience and understanding during the duration of the boil water advisory — put in place to keep citizens from drinking water that could have been contaminated after an accident last Thursday at the water plant site — and also thanked all the city employees for their hard work during this time.
“The boil water advisory went about as well as would be expected,” said Girdler.
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