Darren Doyle, story and photo: Yesterday, officials from the Edmonson Water District attended the Edmonson County Fiscal Court meeting and gave a report on a meeting that was hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) last week, which was attended by Water District personnel, Rep. Michael Meredith, representatives from Senator Rand Paul's Office, Senator Mitch McConnell's Office, and Congressman Brett Guthrie's Office, as well as the Nature Conservancy and Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey. No media was invited to the meeting. On May 25th, the Water District organized a similar meeting with the aforementioned groups, plus media; however, the Corps did not show and did not give the Water District nor the Edmonson Voice a reason for their last-minute email stating they could not attend. Sanders said the Corps organized last week's meeting, held at the Corps office. Today, the USACE responded to our request for their comments on the meeting that was held last week. Abby Korfhage, Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, sent the following statement: Over the last year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and our partners have performed additional surveys, data analysis, and additional modeling to further analyze the effects of the Green River Dam No. 5 removal on water levels in the river under varying conditions. The meeting held June 6 at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nolin River Lake Office was a working-level meeting where USACE and our partner agencies could openly discuss challenges and potential courses of action. We discussed the need to develop a list of feasible solutions and will move forward with a smaller multi-agency team comprised of federal, state and local partners to find a collaborative permanent solution to help address Edmonson County Water District’s (ECWD) concerns. At this time, USACE will remain paused on the Green River Dam No. 5 removal efforts until further notice.
Regarding river depth needed for ECWD’s sustained operations, river levels have not fallen below the necessary depth and have remained above the minimal level required for operation of the water intake. Water levels did not drop below the necessary depth when the region experienced low-to-moderate drought conditions last summer. Furthermore, ECWD was provided an auxiliary pump with the capacity to meet the demand of the district if water levels decline to a level below the necessary depth for its intake. USACE is closely monitoring water levels to ensure they do not drop below a critical elevation that would disrupt ECWD from drawing water through its existing intake. We are aware of the community’s concerns with increased sedimentation at the intake location. This sedimentation is likely related to the failure of the upstream Green River Dam No. 6, whose subsequent removal was required to ensure public safety. We will continue to work collaboratively, as USACE and our partners are committed to keeping our stakeholders and the public informed as we collectively move forward.
3 Comments
6/13/2023 04:28:24 pm
The core is not worried about the water because they don't live hear and have to depend on it. We had one of the best water supplies around until the Core came in messing with it. The government wants to control to much. All this dam removal cost wasn't necessary. A total waste of money, and only hurt the county.Now we have nasty looking water, taste and smells bad. I want even drink from my faucet. Thanks Army Corps you have successfully destroyed our water supply and a beautiful river.
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John L Madison
6/14/2023 04:48:47 pm
Teresa, I agree. US Army Core of engineers, is a government agency, made up of a bunch of politicians, like Mammoth Cave National Park, and those agencies don’t care ,not even one little bit about the people in our wonderful community. And politicians in office that support those agencies have lost my vote.
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Diane Fugate Sandman
7/4/2023 12:20:36 pm
What is alarming to me is the Corp didn't show for the meetings when McConnell and Paul and others were there and no decisions or plans can be made without the Corp of Engineer presence.
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