NEED YOUR HELP TO OBTAIN PUBLICITY AVENUES

Somehow we need to get more publicity about the way the Corps is mismanaging our lakes.  If you have access to any of our political leaders or any radio or TV personalities that can help, please let us know.  We've tried all our resources and to date no takers.  Can you imagine what a figure like Rush Limbaugh could do for our cause.  And likewise any powerful political leader (governor, congressman, senator, etc) could bring about major change. Save Our Lakes Now leadership would be happy to meet with any such interested person or persons if that would help them understand our plight.

It is now obvious the Corps has no intention of managing our lakes in a manner that protects against devastating loss in lake level when droughts occur.  When we point out the losses to the recreational infrastructure (eg. businesses that provide recreation at the lake and all the houses built around the lakes primarily for the purpose of recreation) they seem to be deaf to what we are saying.  Further they offer ridiculous arguments such as power production schedules and being unfair to downstream stakeholders. The total value of the power created by our dams is miniscule in comparison to the hundreds of millions lost by the recreational infrastructure.  And so far as being fair to downstream stakeholders we pass on every drop of water nature gives us and we have no problem passing on more than supplied within reason such as the 3600cfs (3100 in cold weather) which has been demonstrated to be safe based on recent droughts. 

To put things in perspective, the corps yells that drought is causing the destruction.  But that is simply not true.  What is causing the destruction is putting more water downstream than is coming into the system from rain. Such behavior by the Corps in other water systems around the nation has virtually destroyed magnificent lakes such as Lake Mead out West.  This behavior has led to millions of people out West being in danger of having no fresh water and could easily do the same thing here.  Rather than lake stakeholders doing damage to downstream, wasting water by putting more in the ocean than is necessary is what is doing the damage.

CORPS STUBBORNLY REFUSES TO PROTECT OUR LAKES AGAINST DROUGHT

We were hopeful that the new Colonel would listen to reason and get away from the drought plan that has destroyed our lakes repeatedly over the past decade.  Real Estate values around the lakes and the Recreational infrastructure are in desperate need of a change that would end this madness.

Since the Corps refuses to redo the drought plan, we would like to offer one that gives better balance to the various responsibilities of the Corps. First let me give the underlying bases for this approach:

• Power production is important but basically it comes down to an economic consideration.  Any time we do not produce enough power here to satisfy the power demand, it can be purchased off the grid.  The expense of buying it elsewhere is nothing compared to the money lost in real estate and recreational infrastructure when lake levels drop drastically.
• Fish and Wildlife and water supply and water quality are important but they can only be managed properly when there is adequate water in the lakes. Further, we have demonstrated repeatedly (and it is even stated in Corps documents) that these are adequately managed when release rates are at 3600cfs or higher. 
• Recreation is another responsibility of the Corps. It is destroyed anytime the lakes drop drastically.  Not only is the destruction at the time the lakes are down but we continue to suffer from a bad reputation for at least 3 years following destruction of lake levels during a drought.
• Fresh water, although it is not directly listed under the Corps responsibilities, should be recognized by the Corps as something we must protect by wasting as little as possible.  The Corps shows some understanding of this principle in water saving devices at their offices but somehow they fail to recognize that even 100cfs more than necessary in lake releases does more damage than all their conservation measures put together.
• The Corps has demonstrated that they can control lake levels to within about 6" whenever they so desire.

Applying a little logic and common sense to these facts leads to a far superior drought plan than is currently being followed.  If the lakes are held within 6" of full pool as long as they don't have to reduce release rates below 3600cfs, the basin would truly be in balance.  Even in a severe drought the loss in lake level should not be enough to be destructive.  One added factor would be to minimize the winter draw down so we don't enter a drought more than 2' below full level.

If this were the mode of operation the definition of whether we are in a drought would be simple.  It would be anytime full pool can not be maintained using release rates of 3600cfs. Downstream would now be more like what nature intended with levels and flow rates that are determined by nature rather than man.  Blame would no longer be directed at the Corps.  It would finally be directed where it should be; at nature.

We can understand that the Corps feels they are simply following orders.  But history has shown repeatedly that "DOING WHAT IS RIGHT" is far superior to blindly following orders.