FE Walter Dam 2007 Flow Plan Workshop

M

Mark_Griffin

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Joined
Sep 13, 2006
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[color=000000]Mountain Laurel Resort-
Lake Harmony exit #277 off I-80, left on Rt. 940 for 200 feet, right just after the Wawa.
Pocono exit #95 off PA Turnpike, right on Rt. 940 for 200 feet, right just after the Wawa.
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Please let us have your report after the workshop closes.
 
Dear Mark,

Just a note to second Jack's remarks to let us know what was discussed. I'm anxious to know if they plan on rasing the lake level and holding back more water initially.

I thought last year's plan was much more workable and sensible than 2005's, but we all know how things worked out in reality based on the tropical storm in June. Planning is good, but Mother Nature will ultimately be the decider, same as always. :lol:

Regards,
Tim Murphy :-D
 
Tim
Based on a stakeholder meeting in which our group, The Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance (www.thelehighriver.org) attended back in November to discuss the 2006 season and suggestions for 2007, it doesnt look like the Corps will raise the lake elevation for 2007. Maybe a little (5ft??), but I doubt it.

I ask that any concerned fisherman submitt comments to the ACOE so they know there are fisherman concerned about the trout fishery on the Lehigh. God knows there are enough rafters that submitt their comments.

Please visit the weblink on the flyer that Mark had posted to get the email information. I will also dig out my contacts at ACOE and post their emails for you.

Thanks for everyones help and interest.
 
Here ya go guys. Please send an email to both of these individuals at the ACOE and just let them know how you feel about the Lehigh's trout fishery.

Thanks.


Austin Gerrard
Austin.L.Gerrard@nap02.usace.army.mil

George Sauls
George.A.Sauls@nap02.usace.army.mil
 
[color=000000]Well, if ya didn't make it to the meeting ya didn't miss much. It
was a very basic presentation and there's very little change for
2007. These are snapshots of some of the presentation from off
to the side at a slight angle. The entire presentation will be on the
Corps web site by early next week in much better quality. In order
to see the summer water temps we want, there has to be no flood
events in June or July that cause a huge bottom release of all the
cold water.[/color]

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Mark_Griffin wrote:
.... In order to see the summer water temps we want, there has to be no flood events in June or July that cause a huge bottom release of all the cold water.
If that's true, it would seem that there will always be a problem in sustaining a good wild (or holdover?) population of trout. If every few years they have to release most of the cold water because of flooding, the populations will continually be fluctuating to some extent. I believe this is due to the design of the dam release system and valving? Can someone who knows about the FEW issues give some more information on the effect of the flood control releases and the dam design?
 
Yes, Walter is inadequetly engineered compared to your other dams that provide cold tailwater fisheries.

There are only two release options - one set of valves at the bottom of the lake 1,250' above sea level (can push 10,000cfs), and one set of by-pass valves at 1,297' above sea level that can push upto 400cfs depending on head pressure.

Now last summer was an anomaly imo - most years do not require a massive blow-out. Take a look at this link - this shows the highest pool levels reached since completion of the dam...you can see a lot of years where a fraction of the lakes storage was utilized.

http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/watercontrol/waltr.his

What is important to remember about the Lehigh below the dam is all the coldwater tribs. They are where the wild trout seek refuge and as a result trout are pretty well spread out thru the entire river from the Dam through the gorge and beyond. The tribs actually cool the river once you get down into the Gorge, so much so that the temps at Lehighton are cooler then say at Tannery. This is a fact. Water is colder 20 miles below the dam, then right below the dam

I will say though that 115' of storage makes a huge difference then in the past with just 50. In a normal rain year, and obviously a moderate wet, with spaced out rains, you might see good trout friendly temps all summer long, even with this antiquated release tower. There is a chart the corps had last night that showed water temps last year, that were very close to the 2002 drought storage year, when the lake was raised to 1,392' and no whitewater releases. Stratification in the lake had low-50 water temps until late june last year, just before the blow-out.

This year the PFBC is putting 50,000 fingerlings in the upper gorge. This is a huge modification to their previous management of the river, and is a direct result of them understanding the make-up of the river.

However, it is important to understand that these yearly flow-plans are short term. Long term fix to the dam and operation relies on getting a pending study on dam operations. This study was mention a few times last night, and is the logical next step to enhancing the river. The Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance is actively seeking funding thru Sen Specters office for the fiscal 08 Corps budget.
 
Thanks, vcregular. Very interesting. Last year definitely was an anomaly, probably a 100-year or at least a 50-year flood. I guess it's a matter of what level of flooding and flood control will result in what amount of cold water release. It's all a balancing act. Maybe this is some of the information that the study will provide.
 
I think some people/experts might even classify last years flooding event as a 500 yr event. When you look at the information out there it was an amazing feat of nature.

To determine how much storage we can put in the FEW and how to maintain a release of coldwater all summer long, the Study that VC mentioned is imperative. This is the first step in the process to eventually upgrading the FEW's control tower and allowing for additional storage year round in the reservoir.

As VC said, the biggest factor right now is that FEW was built with out any consideration to the impact on the environment. Construction began when there was virtually NO LIFE in the Lehigh, therefore the Corps (for the most part) did not even consider trout or whitewater interests when they built this impoundment. Which was typical back in the dam building hay-day but even more so with FEW.

Therefore, its time for FEW to be brought into the 21st century and right now its the FEW that is a limiting factor on the Lehigh's trout fishery and even whitewater interests as well. THe water temperatures that come out of FEW in July/August actually increase the rivers water temperatures. VC gave me an interesting graphic produced by the Corps that shows this fact. I will try to post it or we can get it up on the www.thelehighriver.org website for you to view.

The Study was discussed needs to be completed to begin the process in upgrading this Reservoir to take into consideration the environmental degradation (mostly thermal) that it is causing to the Lehigh and its inhabitants.

It you want, visit the website mentioned above and write/email Senator Specter's staff and tell them how you feel and what you want to improve Lehigh's trout fishery by having the Corps conduct this Study.
 
Attached are the charts that show water temps below the lake, and down thru the gorge. What these show is water temps that cool the further you get away from the dam - at least as far down as Lehighton, and prolly even further down, since you have to remember that the Po dumps in below Lehighton, and that runs in the 50s. Also, temps further downstream can COOL at night, since they can go thru the cycle of warming in the day, and cooling at night, which is not down closer to the dam, since the dam water is always pretty much the same temp at night. What this all shows, is you really do not need much coldwater to really keep A LOT (long distance) of water trout friendly. WE are talking a lot of public water!!! State Park water - roadless water. Hopefully funding can come thru in the near future and enhancement can take place down the road. Time will tell.

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Large versions ...
 
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