When lake levels drop more than 10ft it virtually destroys recreation and the recreational infrastructure. The reasons are simple. Vacationers go to other lakes when they see a history of levels this low. As with anything, when you get burned a few times you avoid that fire. As a result existing concessionaires who allow access to the lakes go out of business or stop expanding and any further concessionaires who may be looking at providing recreation at our lakes go elsewhere. Additionally the homes built beside the lake become unattractive and real estate values plummet.
When Save Our Lakes Now started looking into how to reverse this situation, we were given a bunch of excuses as to why the Corps could not decrease release rates below guide curve levels.
- first the short nosed sturgeon was endangered and we could not possibly drop below guide curve release rates because they might not find spawning grounds.
- Then some kind of lily in the Augusta rapids was being eaten by deer when too much rock was exposed.
- Then we were assured that water quality would become unsatisfactory
- Then we were assured water supply would be too low
- Then we were assured that oxygen supply in the harbor would drop below acceptable levels
- Then we were told the Corps' hands were tied by the various groups such as fish and wildlife who would not allow the corps to drop release rates below guide curve levels.
- We were told SEPA (South Eastern Power Association) insisted on holding to the guide curve release rates.
One by one we have eliminated these excuses but through last year the Corps has refused to change from the published guide curves which were destroying recreation repeatedly. Without going into great detail we have eliminated all these excuses. If anyone desires I will be glad to do into detail in a follow up blog but to cover them all would take several pages of explanation which is beyond what we want to do with this blog.
Our picture of what a true lake advocate would do is to drop release rates to 3600cfs, which has been demonstrated time and time again to not have an adverse impact on the environment or water supply etc., anytime the lakes drop below full pool. Doing so, all the various concerns of the Corps would be met and the lakes should stay within 10ft of full pool thus protecting recreation. The one remaining issue expressed by the Corps is they would not be able to meet their quotas for power supply. From talking to SEPA we are part of a much bigger system and seldom are all the lakes in the system in drought so they could make up our lost power from hydropower obtained elsewhere. Besides, the increased cost of power to the consumer if it comes from somewhere other than hydropower is peanuts compared to the losses to our recreational infrastructure and lack of development of neighboring communities.
