FULL LAKE DROUGHT - 10 FT
RESPONSIBILITY
- HYDRO POWER A C D
- FLOOD CONTROL A A A
- NAVIGATION NA NA NA
- WATER QUALITY A A F
- WATER SUPPLY A A F
- FISH & WILDLIFE A A F
- RECREATION A C F
ADDING ONE MORE THAT SHOULD BE THERE:
8. FRESH WATER SUPPLY A F 0
I'VE TAKEN THE LIBERTY TO GIVE MY IDEA OF HOW WELL THE CORPS IS DOING ON EACH OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.
AS LONG AS THE LAKES ARE FULL THE CORPS SCORES GOOD GRADES. ONCE THE LAKES DROP DUE TO DROUGHT EVERYTHING EXCEPT RECREATION AND FRESH WATER SUPPLY CONTINUES TO BE SATISFACTORY. RECREATION DOES NOT GET A FAILING GRADE UNTIL THE LAKES DROP MORE THAN 10FT. FRESH WATER SUPPLY DROPS TO AN F ANYTIME THE LAKES ARE RELEASING MORE WATER THAN IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO TAKE CARE OF DOWNSTREAM NEEDS (EG 3600CFS IS A GOOD START BUT WASTE RELEASES TO THE RIVER NEED TO BE MINIMIZED AS MUCH AS PRACTICAL IN ORDER TO DROP MINIMUM FLOWS EVEN FURTHER).
CONTRARY TO WHAT MOST WOULD THINK THEY SHOULD GET HORRIBLE GRADES ON EVERYTHING EXCEPT FLOOD CONTROL BECAUSE OF THE HIGH RISK SITUATION THIS REPRESENTS. ALTHOUGH 3600 CFS MEETS MOST NEEDS DOWNSTREAM CONTINUED DROPS BEYOND 10' DOWN PUTS EVERYTHING EXCEPT FLOOD CONTROL AT UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS. HYDRO POWER BECAUSE SEPA DEPENDS ON US PRIMARILY FOR PEAKING POWER AND NEARLY DESTROYED LAKES MAKE A POOR SOURCE OF PEAKING POWER. WATER QUALITY AND WATER SUPPLY ETC. HAVE NOW MOVED TO A VERY DANGEROUS STATUS WHEREBY THE CORPS MAY NEED TO CHOSE BETWEEN TOTALLY DESTROYING THE LAKES ONE AT A TIME OR NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPLY DOWNSTREAM NEEDS.
EVERYBODY BUT THE CORPS RECOGNIZES THAT THEY GET AN F ON RECREATION ANYTIME THEY ARE RELEASING MORE THAN THE MINIMUM NEEDED DOWNSTREAM WITH THE LAKES BELOW FULL POOL. THE CORPS USES THE LAME EXCUSE THAT RECREATION IS ONLY PARK ATTENDANCE AND RAMP CLOSURES. BUT AS THE REST OF THE WORLD RECOGNIZES RECREATION HAS TO DO WITH INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS REAL ESTATE, BUSINESS HEALTH OF LAKE SIDE BUSINESSES, AND THE OVER ALL ATTRACTION OF THIS AREA AS A PLACE FOR RECREATION. WITH THE BEAUTY OF OUR LAKES THE WHOLE AREA SHOULD BE GROWING BUT THE HORRIBLE REPUTATION WE HAVE SINCE THE DROUGHT OF 2002 DISCOURAGES GROWTH AND HAS BANKRUPTED MANY BUSINESS TIED TO RECREATION THAT SHOULD BE FLOURISHING.
REGARDING FRESH WATER, JUST LOOK AT HOW DNR PANICS ANYTIME AN AQUIFER STARTS DROPPING IN LEVEL. IT IS BEYOND ME HOW THESE SAME PEOPLE SAY NOTHING WHEN LAKE LEVELS ARE WASTED ON FOOLISH RELEASE RATES.
ON A SIDE NOTE LET ME MENTION FLOOD CONTROL. THE CORPS HAS NOW DECIDED THE EMPTIER THE LAKES ARE THE BETTER IN CASE WE SHOULD GET HEAVY RAINS. WHEN THE LAKES CONSISTED ONLY OF LAKE THURMOND A 4'F BUFFER WAS PUT INTO THE GUIDE CURVE FOR THE LAKES WHEREBY THE LAKES ARE DROPPED 4' IN THE FALL AND WINTER IN PREPARATION FOR HIGH WATER RUN OFF. NOW WITH 3 LAKES TO COLLECT THE SAME RAIN WATER RUN OFF FOR THE BASIN, A 2' BUFFER SHOULD ACCOMPLISH THE SAME DEGREE OF PROTECTION. BUT IN SPITE OF PLEAS FROM SAVE OUR LAKES NOW THE CORPS REFUSES TO DROP BACK TO A 2' DRAWDOWN. THEY GIVE THE REASON THAT THERE MAY BE MORE RUN OFF NOW THAN IN THE PAST. HOW CAN THAT BE TRUE WHEN THE BASIN SIZE HAS NOT CHANGED AND IF ANYTHING, WE ARE NOW MORE PRONE TO DROUGHTS. GO FIGURE!
ON A SIDE NOTE LET ME MENTION FLOOD CONTROL. THE CORPS HAS NOW DECIDED THE EMPTIER THE LAKES ARE THE BETTER IN CASE WE SHOULD GET HEAVY RAINS. WHEN THE LAKES CONSISTED ONLY OF LAKE THURMOND A 4'F BUFFER WAS PUT INTO THE GUIDE CURVE FOR THE LAKES WHEREBY THE LAKES ARE DROPPED 4' IN THE FALL AND WINTER IN PREPARATION FOR HIGH WATER RUN OFF. NOW WITH 3 LAKES TO COLLECT THE SAME RAIN WATER RUN OFF FOR THE BASIN, A 2' BUFFER SHOULD ACCOMPLISH THE SAME DEGREE OF PROTECTION. BUT IN SPITE OF PLEAS FROM SAVE OUR LAKES NOW THE CORPS REFUSES TO DROP BACK TO A 2' DRAWDOWN. THEY GIVE THE REASON THAT THERE MAY BE MORE RUN OFF NOW THAN IN THE PAST. HOW CAN THAT BE TRUE WHEN THE BASIN SIZE HAS NOT CHANGED AND IF ANYTHING, WE ARE NOW MORE PRONE TO DROUGHTS. GO FIGURE!
