The latest issue of Balancing the Basin gives a sobering summation of what the Corps plans to do this year regarding drought protection. Unfortunately they plan to continue following the drought plan that has failed us so miserably for the past decade. This would be understandable if we had no answers on how to maintain lake levels without doing damage to the other concerns the Corps has. But we do have those answers. The impact of lake levels on our huge infrastructure for recreation is essentially being ignored.
There are several questions that illuminate the failure by the Corps to protect recreation the way they were directed by Congress:
- Does the Corps have the capability of maintaining lake levels within a few tenths of a foot over the span of a month?
- Isn't it true that we have demonstrated that 3600cfs release rates can be safely tolerated downstream of Lake Thurmond?
- Isn't it true that poor lake level control does immense damage to the recreational infrastructure around the lakes?
- Why then does the Corps not minimize the drop in lake levels when we enter drought conditions?
The Corps repeatedly quotes environmental authorities in support of releasing water at rates that cause us to lose control of lake level. But they never quote authorities representing recreational concerns. The reason is we have no voice in Corps drought planning. What is desperately needed is representation at drought planning sessions from authorities on recreational concerns. Said authority needs to have a significant stake in the recreational infrastructure around our lakes and be answerable to the concerns of lake stakeholders. At present the closest thing we have to such representation is a few spokesmen who explain the Corps' thinking on various issues. This would be like the environmental authorities explaining to the public why the Corps is not listening to their input.
Although it has not yet brought about the desired response, our best option to bring about change is to continue insisting that the Corps control lake levels in a drought the way they do in flood conditions. Letters, emails, etc. to the Corps and your congressmen do keep this issue at the forefront. That fact is evidenced by the Corps continuing to make excuses for poor control of lake level in Balancing the Basin articles.
Jon Clerry, spokesman for Save Our Lakes Now
