Lake Lure dam faces costly future

Lake Lure dam faces costly future

Public records obtained by The Carolina Journal show Lake Lure is advancing plans to replace its century-old dam while confronting bridge delays, property questions, utility relocations, federal reimbursement disputes, and preliminary construction estimates reaching $174 million. At the July 22 town council work session meeting, Brendan Stepik, project manager with the town’s contractor, Schnabel Engineering, presented an update on the Lake Lure…

DEP Declares Lake Wynonah Dam ‘Unsafe,’ Calls for Immediate Complete Drawdown

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has officially designated the Lake Wynonah Dam in Schuylkill County as “Unsafe” and is calling for the immediate complete drawdown of the reservoir as state officials cite longstanding seepage, a deteriorating spillway and concerns over the dam’s ability to safely handle a major flood.DEP issued the designation in an August 14 letter to Brian Magazu, president of the Lake Wynonah Property O…

Work to address dam risk at Buffalo Springs Lake races against federal deadline, or county might need to refund feds

The deadline to rehabilitate the “high risk” McMillan Dam at Buffalo Springs Lake is the end of this year. Otherwise, Lubbock County might need to repay the federal government roughly $7 million in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding. Work is currently underway to widen the dam – from a 2-to-1 ratio to 3-to-1 ratio earthen dam – meaning the slope will extend three feet out for every foot of height. State regulators previously categorized McM…