LITTLE ROCK, Ark. –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District is seeking public input on the Beaver Lake Interim Risk Reduction Measure Draft Environmental Assessment.
USACE will conduct a 30-day public comment period to provide an opportunity for the public to give input on any information contained within the Beaver IRRM Draft EA.
The public comment period begins July 19 and ends on Aug. 19, 2023.
Comments may be submitted online at https://www.beaverlakedam-irrm.com/contact-1 or by mail to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ATTN: Environmental Branch, Regional Planning and Environmental Center, 2000 Fort Point, Galveston, Texas 77550. All comments must be post marked by Aug. 19.
The Draft EA details the beneficial and adverse effects of implementing an Operational IRRM at Beaver Dam on the White River. The IRRM will reduce risks to life safety, property and natural resources associated with being able to operate the dam effectively during extreme high-water events.
Beaver Dam was evaluated during a Periodic Risk Assessment in 2016 and it was determined that when flood waters exceed elevation 1,132.5 feet (NAVD88) a risk was identified that could contribute to a potential dam failure in an extreme high-water event. An Interim Risk Reduction Measures Plan was developed in accordance with ER 1110-2-1156 by the Little Rock District in 2017 and approved by the USACE Southwestern Division in 2018. The IRRMP includes interim risk reduction measures to reduce the risks identified in 2016.
The IRRM will operate the White River System of lakes to a hybrid of current and past operations by using the pre-1998 seasonal guide curves at Newport and Georgetown, Arkansas and the post-1998 timing for stage transitions. This will allow more aggressive Flood Risk Management releases during months that receive runoff producing rainfall, regain FRM storage in a faster manner and lowers the frequency and duration of high pool events at Beaver Lake.
The Draft EA and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact documents can be found online at www.swl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Water-Management/Beaver-Lake-Dam-IRRM/Documents/.
For more information on the Beaver Lake IRRM study visit https://www.beaverlakedam-irrm.com/.
--30--
Release no. 23-073