Published on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 9:25 AM PST
Kathe Malouf/Special to the SunThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hosted a series of public information meetings last week to present their selected alternative for the Isabella Dam Safety Modification Project.Approximately 50 residents attended the first of three meetings which was held Nov. 13 in Kernville. Attendance was significantly less at the Lake Isabella meeting the following night. The purpose of the meetings was to discuss the Corps' selected plan that is outlined in the recently released final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS. Corps representatives also reviewed revisions that were made to the selected plan based on comments received during the public review period for the Draft (EIS.
Rancher G.W. Wenstrand, left, landowner David Sweeney, and Kernville Chamber of Commerce president Cheryl Borthick, listen as 1st District Supervisor elect, Mick Gleason speaks with Army Corps project lead, Marcie Jackson during the Corps tour of Isabella Lake Dam for local community leaders Nov. 14. The tour showcased sites of the selected plan for the Isabella Lake Dam Safety Modification Project, as stated in the final environmental impact statement. Jon Ream, President elect of the Lake Isabella-Bodfish Property Owners Association, stands in the back.
The meeting was not intended to solicit comment on the recently released final EIS; rather the purpose was to discuss the revisions made to the selected plan and answer questions from community residents.Rick Poeppelman, Chief Engineer with the Corps' Sacramento District and Dam Safety Officer, opened the meeting with a brief background of Isabella Dam. He stated, "This project is one of the highest priorities in the nation right now. Of the approximate 600 dams nationwide, Isabella is considered among the top ten from our perspective. "Poeppelman discussed challenges the existing dam presents from a safety aspect. These include seismic activity, the inadequately sized spillway and reservoir, as well as the potential, however slight, for a large flood event. Poeppelman added, "These issues, combined with the at-risk population of Bakersfield, make this dam a high priority. And because these are safety issues, the Corps is expecting the necessary funding will be approved to get this project completed. "Corps' representatives noted that the existing dams – both the main dam and auxiliary dam – present public safety issues due to the seismic and seepage issues. In the event of a hydrological overtopping, the water could not safely be re-routed, since the existing spillway has erosion issues."As an agency, we must identify and address these issues, as our first criteria is human safety," Mike Ruthford, Lead Engineer with the project, stated. "Public safety is our first priority. "The Corps released the draft EIS in March of this year to the public at which time five action alternatives, in addition to a "no action" alternative, were identified and analyzed to address the issues relating to seismic activity, seepage and hydrologic deficiencies. During the public review period of the draft EIS, the Corps received 435 comments from various agencies and the public. "The primary concern expressed in the comments received centered around the lower lake level, the impacts to air quality due to the exposed dust and increased construction traffic and the impacts the construction would have to the area's recreation," said Mitch Stewart, Environmental Manager.Following the review of public comment and internal review of the alternatives, the Corps' formulated its preferred plan and the released the Final EIS on October 26, 2012. Stewart noted that the preferred alternative was identified as Alternative No. 4 in the draft EIS, with refinements, or modifications, based on comments received during the circulation of the draft document.David Serafini, Lead Engineer presented a brief overview of the selected alternative as well as the refinements that were made as a result of public comment. "Most of the deficiencies are located at the auxiliary dam," Serafini stated. In presenting the overview, Serafini stated that the project would not increase the overall gross pool capacity of the reservoir. Rather, the modification project is designed to minimize the potential for downstream flooding due to dam failure. Following their presentation, the meeting was opened for questions from those in attendance.Commenting on the community meetings, Marci Jackson, Lead Planner with the Corps, stated, "We (the Corps feel very confident and excited about the feedback we got from the community. We believe that we have a very good working relationship. We believe that it is important to be transparent so that we can not only have that good working relationship but also so that we can assure a successful project. "
Copyright © 2012 Kern Valley Sun
Comments
READER COMMENT CRITERION
Use the form below to post a brief comment to this story, or respond to other readers. Please use the word count tool to assist you in keeping your remarks to 100 words or fewer.
- Be respectful of others, the writer and the subjects in the story.
- Comments need to be relevant to the story that is being discussed.
- Posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide.
- Be aware that, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, you, not the Kern Valley Sun, are responsible for comments posted on this Web site.
- We encourage a civil, collegial, and non-insulting tone.
Comments that are unrelated to the story, repetitious and/or redundant, potentially libelous or damaging innuendo, contain obscene, explicit, or racist language, personal attacks, insults or threats will not be accepted.
Comments are unedited and approved by an editor before appearing on the Web site. Your thoughtful contribution to the online discussion is appreciated.
<!
Читать полностью или написать коммент.. Про установку спутниковых тарелок в Московской областиhttp://tarelka-tv.ru/
wrote on
wrote on
wrote on
wrote on
wrote on
wrote on