CouncilmanChas

Are they rolling the dice?

On July 3, 2006 The Post Star published an article discussing the levels being maintained in the Great Sacandaga Lake. The prime mission of the 29 mile lake is flood control, but how much flood control do we have if the lake is kept full most of the time. They said "a nearly full flood-control is equivalent to no reservoir at all."
During Summer, fall and winter, the district is supposed to drop the level to provide space for spring runoff. The low level target is 748 ft.
According to the article, since January 1 the level has never been lower than 763 feet., 15 feet above target. From May 1 to June 15 the level has exceeded 770 ft for 26 out of 46 days or more than one day out of every 2. Amazingly, during the dry spell in April, with the reservoir far above target, the Hudson River Black River Regulating District minimized discharges, sometimes shutting them totally down.
I was born in the 30's and the Sacandaga Dam was completed in the 30's, so during my many years of living in Corinth I never remember flooding happening in or near Corinth. I remember just recently being called out of a meeting at church to look into high water threatening a home, and when we finished to go home, I was told 9 N north would probably be flooded when we got up in the morning. I repeat the title of this article, "are they rolling the dice"
The levels and flows are on the internet, www.hrbrrd.com

posted by charliebrown @ 8:09 PM