03-03-2009, 02:03 PM
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#1 |
Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Slapping some biatches! Age: 35
Posts: 6,484
|  Important Information Regarding Dale Hollow Lake for campers
As the trip nears, I stumbled on some important info regarding the lake levels for July. It looks as though we will be launching from the parking lot at the marina as the Corp of Engineers is planning to flood Dale Hollow to pick up the slack left behind from Center Hill Reservoir, and Wolf Creek Dams repair. As well to store water due to the drought. This will in no way effect riding or the trip. In fact, it will make some really neat scenery avalable that is normaly high up on the shore line. We will still be able to launch and ride. However, if you are planning to camp at the federal campground by Sunset Marina (I know some of the Kentucky guys had sad something) instead of staying at the cabin this info applies to you. You will want to reserve campsites as far back from the water as possible and as close as possible to the guard shack by the entrance as part of the campground may be flooded. These sites should be okay, however I will see if I can pull up a terrain ramp to confirm this. This picture represent where we will be launching from. You can see the parking lot by the marina. It should be partially submerged.  As all of you are aware, Dale Hollow Lake’s water level is lower than we have experienced in over 25 years. In fact, 1983 was the last time Dale Hollow fell below our present elevation of 634.00 feet above sea level. The previous low level of 632.84 was reached on November 14, 1983. All of the marina owner’s on Dale Hollow Lake met with officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers(USACE) at Dale Hollow’s Dam and visitor’s center last week to discuss the lake level situation. According to the USACE, they expect Dale Hollow to continue to drop to 633.00 by the end of December and possibly even lower if we do not receive significant rainfall. The USACE states that we are in the third year of a five year drought pattern.
The low water level presents many challenges for a marina and for you (the boaters). We appreciate your patience as we maneuver docks, boat slips, and gangplanks to adjust to the ongoing falling of Dale Hollow’s pool level. For your information, Dale Hollow Lake has a “Power Pool” of 20 feet. This means that the water in Dale Hollow from elevation 631 to elevation 651 is used for power generation. The lake also has what is known as a “Flood Pool” which is 12 feet in depth and runs from elevation 651 to elevation 663. This twelve foot flood pool is used during times of extreme flooding to hold back water in order to prevent downstream flooding in the towns along the Cumberland River. For your reference point, the front guardrail along Sunset’s Parking Lots is at elevation 655. Therefore, if Dale Hollow ever reached it’s highest point in flood stage, the parking lots would have eight feet of water standing in them.
The USACE’s ability to hold water and provide downstream navigation has been reduced by over 35% since Lake Cumberland’s Wolf Creek Dam and Center Hill Lake’s Dam is undergoing emergency repair. With this dam repair, Dale Hollow Lake is being used to store water in the spring and the USACE expects the reservoir level to reach at least 653 by June 1st, 2009 and Dale Hollow’s water is being relied on more heavily in the fall to provide hydropower and downstream navigation. The USACE stated that Dale Hollow has been the most important reservoir in the Cumberland River System in terms of managing water this past year and will be for several years to come. |
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