Dam Update for April 2009

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By BILL MARDIS, Editor Emeritus
Commonwealth Journal

Somerset April 07, 2009 06:50 pm

— “No ... not a chance!”
LTC Bernard R. Lindstrom, commander of the Nashville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, responded emphatically when asked yesterday if there is a possibility the level of Lake Cumberland might be raised for the upcoming tourism season.
Then, Lindstrom, looking to the future, remarked: “Hopefully, hopefully, hope-fully by next spring –– not this spring, next spring –– if everything goes well” (the level could be raised in increments).
The Nashville District commander, talking with a reporter during a media tour of the dam, said the lake level in 2009 would neither move up or down very much from the current 680 level “ ... unless something extraordinary happens.”
The lake has been about 43 feet below pool stage since January 2007 to ease pressure on Wolf Creek Dam, classified by an independent panel of experts as being in high risk of failure. If left untreated, seepage would seriously threaten stability of the dam causing damages in excess of $2 billion and potential loss of life.
Rehabilitation of the dam with a total estimated cost of $584 million is currently under way. The media tour yesterday was to show local political leaders and the public progress being made to repair the structure.
David Hendrix, project manager, said excavation is scheduled to being April 14 for a protective embankment wall to stabilize the earthen structure while a permanent barrier wall is inserted. It will be the second diaphragm wall inserted in the dam. The first wall, completed in 1979 after more serious leaks developed during the late 1960s, proved too short and not deep enough to permanently repair the structure.
Two technique or test areas, about 200 feet wide, should be completed by the end of this coming summer. Hendrix said the test areas, eventually a part of the diaphragm wall, are to prove “what we already know” that a wall of this type can be inserted into the dam.
Hendrix also said that Critical Area No. 1 should be sealed by April 2010. Critical Area No. 1 is where the earthen section joins the concrete section of the dam. This is the area where uncontrolled seepage could not be stopped with grouting.
The barrier wall will be placed along the entire length of the earthen embankment and will tie in to the concrete section of the dam. It will extend from the top of the work platform to a depth of 275 feet into the limestone karst below the dam.

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I tried to capture the 6-22-2009 Dam story for Lake Cumberland today while it was on...

It is low quality cell phone vid of a television and I didn't turn the sound up so you might have to get somewhere quiet and crank your speakers up... lol Anyway if you have never been able to see it at least here it is...

http://www.facebook.com/v/315621079065 + http://www.facebook.com/v/315620539065 + more

Or try these...

You may need quicktime to view them, download it free here (safe download) http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

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I had merged all the files together but it mixed the audio up and was REALLY messed up.

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TTT for those wondering about the dam failure vid from the History Channel.

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Better video of the dam failure possibilities during the dam repair
https://youtu.be/pducRLyDmiY?t=3457

One of these previews might work. lol WOLF CREEK DAM AT 57:00 in video

[youtube]pducRLyDmiY?t=3457[/youtube]
[youtube]pducRLyDmiY?t[/youtube]

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What if Scenario https://youtu.be/pducRLyDmiY?t=3706