LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to lower water levels at Rough River while repairs to the dam take place over the next several years years.
As part of the plan, the water level at the summer pool will be restricted to 490 feet. That's five feet below the normal level.
The filling of the lake will also be delayed. Crews normally begin filling the lake on March 14, but the plan now is to begin on April 1.
"Our main priority is protecting life safety for those that live downstream of the dam and also reducing flooding downstream of the dam," said Will Ailstock, chief of civil programs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
During a recent risk assessment study of the dam at Rough River, the corps changed the Dam Safety Action Classification risk rating from a 3 to 2. 1 indicates "very high urgency," 2 being "high urgency," 3 means "moderate urgency," 4 is "low urgency," and 5 being "normal."
The assessment findings and change in DSAC rating is the reason for pool restrictions at the lake.
"We looked at everything from going all the way down to 465, which is even below winter pool, up to doing nothing," Ailstock said. "Where we settled on to allow that adequate risk reduction was that pool restriction of 490."
These changes will make two beaches -- the State Park Beach and North Folk Beach -- inaccessible during the construction.
Only three of the 21 boat ramps on the lake will have limited access to the water due to the the changes.
"Some docks are going to be floating," said Matt Small, who owns Matt's dock Repairs in Falls of Rough. "Some docks are going to be halfway floating. Some docks are going to be 5 feet up on the shore."
Small told WDRB that his business will be impacted by the decision, but admits it could have been much more grim.
However, he's worried about private docks that won't reach the restricted level.
"That means fewer docks going out there on the water," he said. "That means fewer repairs going out there."
The worry is less about what the restriction does for recreational boaters and more about what's next for lake homeowners who deploy those private docks.
"It's going to have a little impact, especially the people who own land around here," said Terry Moore, who has lived in a houseboat on the lake since 2002. "Their docks -- they're going to have to get access to their docks."
Moore believes it won't be as much of an issue as some in the area believe it to be, but he and others are aware the lake will look much different for years to come.
The restriction will lift when the long-term repair is made to the dam. A contract has yet to be awarded for that project, and construction will take about six years.
"It's going to be a challenge for a lot of the lake owners out there that purchased a lake house, and in certain areas it's going to look like a creek house," Small said.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hosting a public meeting to answer questions on March 7.
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