Beaver Lake holds flood water at bay
Posted on Friday, September 5, 2008
ROGERS - Beaver Lake may have dodged a wet bullet from the rains Hurricane Gustav dumped over northwest Arkansas on Wednesday and Thursday.
Beaver Lake is expected to rise to 1, 130 feet above sea level, according to the lake's forecast issued by John Kielczewski, the White River system engineer for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
While 1, 130 feet of water means the lake's flood pool is filled, Kielczewski expects the lake levels can be managed and lowered through electrical generation and without opening the flood gates.
"If there is no more rain for the next several days, the forecast is saying that by Saturday, Beaver Lake will be at or near 1, 130 in elevation based on the rainfall that we have received," said Alan Bland, a park ranger with the Corps. "If we get more rain, obviously the forecast will change, but for now, we do not anticipate opening the spillway. That is good news. The lake is doing exactly what it was designed to do - which is holding flood water."
On Monday, the lake was at 1, 126. 55 feet above sea level.
On Thursday morning, lake levels were 1, 127. 2. By Thursday afternoon, the lake had risen a mere 0. 4 feet to 1, 127. 3, Kielczewski said.
"I do not know where 4 inches of rain went, but the pool is not rising as rapidly as I thought, so we may not even get to 1, 129 (feet )," Kielczewski said. "Beaver Lake will continue on a slow rise, and we may near the top of the flood-control pool early Saturday morning."
Kielczewski said that he expects Beaver Lake will return to its normal levels in mid to late November.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
