Lake Cumberland Dam Problems
 

Have all of you out of state boaters been keeping up with the problems at wolf creek dam? the lake will be 42 feet below summer pool for the whole summer due to a leaking foundation. the local news says 40 of the 48 ramps will be out of the water. the corps and the state is trying to find funds to lengthen some of the ramps to save the season.

Re: Lake Cumberland Dam Problems
 

That's going to put alot of marinas out of business for the summer.
Not good!!

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A link to the Lake Cumberland Dam Issues: http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/pao/is...mo/seepage.htm

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How deep is the water in the State Park marina?

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the lake averages a little over 100 feet deep and has a max depth of about 300. there will still be plenty of water......................if you can get to it. it will still cover over 13000 acres.

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1000' depth ain't no good if the ramps ain't wet.:)

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Yeap - still got to got to get to the main channel

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A couple of the Marinas owned by local folk were just sold for several million dollars to big out of state corporations,wonder if they knew something in advance ?

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I Thought I Read Still 35000 Acres But Getting To Them Might Be A Problem, Saw A Picture Of The Falls And The Party Spot Will Have To Be Relocated, 76 Falls Will Be A Campground With A Lot Of Emptys On It

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i stand corrected, it will reduce the size of the lake by 13000 acres to about 35000 acres. still plenty of water but again, you have to get to it.

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Still will be larger than Dale Hollow. :)

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Is this going to affect the LC Poker Run????????

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I dont think it will effect the poker run. All of the marinas are getting money to extend and improve the ramps along with a few of the other public ramps.

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Any way to find out for certain? I was planning on making that run this summer...I'd like to know for sure before I drop the coin and drive 8 hours.

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I could see it effecting the spectators more than the runners.
I won't take my boat to LC. at those levels. Not familar enough with the underwater islands when the water is that low. Even the low levels during the past poker runs makes me nervous in a few spots that I normally fly thru during summer levels.

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I saw 150-210 on the depth finder depending on where we were tied up.


There are quite a few of us that want to come to the PR from VA and Active Thunder this year; however we are not risking iffy lake conditions.

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i talked to a lake cumberland marine salesman at the louisville boat show saturday and he had no information to give on the PR.

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the local news tonight said the state was looking for money to extend SOME ramps but the corps did not know which ramps will get extended. someone I talked to said between eight and twelve ramps but don't quote me on that.

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I am going to do the leg work on lenghtening the ramp at our community. Going to be tough to make it longer than 20 to 25 ft. without a coffer dam being built. This won't be any good for the DCB as I will need at least 35 ft. The bigger marinas will make this happen at most any cost to keep their businesses afloat. I wouldn't write the PR off. I went over my topo. map still looks like a lot of unobstructed water.

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You all should boat in the gulf sometime! The intercostal is deep when it gets over ten feet Cumberland will still be over 80 feet in most of the lake. There are just a few spots that you need to avoid.

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Cincy paper today said there is money for ten ramps to be extended and work will be starting soon. You can be sure it will happed that lake brings in too much money for it not to happen.

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Just thank of the money they could have if they sold beer. Damn would be fixed and money to spare.

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dam dam!

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When we lived in Cincy, we used to go to Cumberland several weekends throughout the summer, including the PR. If you take all of the trailer boaters from 48 ramps and put them at 8 ramps, finding parking for the tow rig is going to be tough :eek: At Jamestown or State Dock, parking lots were usually full on any given weekend. Multiply that by 6 (48 ramps to 8 ramps) and where do you park? We were always lucky going back to State Dock that we never ran into an "oncoming" tow rig on that narrow road. You would have to draw straws to see who is going to go roll their rig over the bank, or back up for about 2-3 miles! I would think the lines at those 8 -12 launch ramps will be quite long, and if there are no parking places left, what do you do?

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Most of the ramps that we have used in the past had way more parking at the end of the summer than begining. But I guess only time will tell for sure!
If you all would see the majority of the 48 ramps that they are talking about not being useable you would understand. They are mostly small community ramps that only have parking for a few trailers anyway.

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I'm on Lake Cumberland 52 weekends a year. Yes, the low water will affect things some but Cumberland will still be a HUGE Lake. The deepest part of the Lake is 200' near Wolf Creek Dam measured at normal summer pool of 720 feet above sea level. They are taking the lake to 680 feet above sea level and plan to leave it at that level through the end of 2007, possibly into 2008 until the initial grouting work is done on the dam. The overall repair is estimated to take 7 years but they are trying to get additional funding to shorten that timeframe to 5 years.

At Lake level 680 Cumberland will still cover over 35,000 surface acres and have over 1000 miles of shoreline. I don't believe that any marinas will be "out of business" and in fact, all of the commercial marinas are making adjustments to the lower water levels. One thing to keep in mind, Lake Cumberland NORMALLY fluctuates between the 730 foot level in the spring and the 680 foot level in the winter. As a matter of fact, this past weekend (January, 27-28, 2007) the water was at 690 feet which is higher than it was a year ago at this time.

As far as the Poker Run is concerned, I would NOT anticipate any major changes or effects. The one thing everyone will notice is that at Lake level 680, no one will be gathering at 76 Falls (unless you're on foot.) I would anticipate that the typical Falls activity and gathering will simply move further out into Indian Creek about a mile downstream of where the Falls are located. As of last weekend there was still 35-45 feet of water in this area which is marked with the "NO SKI" bouys as you turn the corner toward the falls. Poker run routes and card stops may be altered from last year but then they're changes every year anyway.

One area to watch for low water will be the area along the shoreline as you pass Camp Earl Wallace. Favor the Northern/Western shoreline which is the route of the original river.

Try this link to a topo map showing the Lake area contours as measured above sea level, and think lake level 680. You can zoom in and move about the Lake on the map. MAjor marinas are not marked but if you know the Lake it may help you. http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=...G&size=l&s=250

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shouldn't that be damn dam?:evilb: :drink:

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I forgot to mention launch ramps. There are 8 ramps (of 48) listed as usable at Lake level 680.

Launch ramps affected at 680 feet lake level



The Corps officially has designated the following ramps as usable at 680 feet:

Waitsboro
Cumberland Point
Conley Bottom Marina
Lee's Ford Marina
Beaver Creek Marina
Jamestown Marina
Burnside Island State Park
Halcomb's Landing - ramp adjacent to the Dam.

Launching Ramps Impacts:
Elevation - Usable - Unusable

720' - 48 - 0
705' - 38 - 10
700' - 30 - 18
685' - 20 - 28
680' - 8 - 40


I have also been informed that Grider Hill's ramp will be usable but it wasn't listed on the official Corp of Engineer's list. Regardless, the Corp has announced plans to extend at least 10 ramps before summer 2007.

I don't think launching will be an issue.

Check http://www.LakeCumberland.com for as much discussion about Lake Cumberland water levels as you can stand.

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Thank you DrNautica.

Is the ramp in the park at State Dock the Burnside Island State Park ramp?

What was the lake level at LC at LAST year's Poker Run, just so I have a reference (only been there the one time).

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Burnside Island is in Burnside on the eastern end of the lake. The State Dock/Park Ramp is called the State Park Ramp.

The Lake level during last year's (2006) Poker Run was between 705-710 feet. Check the chart below. The lake level is indicated by the red line. Click on the chart for a larger view.

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Thanks DrNautica.

When we went last year, we used State Park Ramp, and stayed at State Dock.

If we make it this year, we'd like something close by, and I think the Jamestown Ramp would fit the bill, but its going to be gawd awfully crowded. State Dock is going to be an even longer walk up and down that hill, and the logistics of getting to/from your truck/boat/trailer (probably in three different & scattered places) is going to be nuts.

I am optimistic about the 2007 PR, but I like logistics to be easy. I want a ramp that's close to where I will be staying on the lake, with plenty of easy parking to keep the truck and trailer hitched together, right next to the ramp, with a dock that I can tie up to, and go get my truck, and not rely on others. My girlfriend can drive the truck and trailer very well, but the size of those ramps are going to intimidate her; and she won't want to navigate those tight and overcrowded lots. If we go this year, I'll be investing in at least a Go-Ped or something to get around.

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The GoPed may be a good investment. These hills are killer when the water's up but we're all used to it.

I'd love to hook up for a brew if you make it for 2007. I'll try to have a couple of bikini clad babes with me.

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I think we will just pass on the Nordic regatta this year @ LC. I'm just not comfortable going to a new boating area, and having the water level be down. Everybody have fun, and be careful.
Dean

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State Park ramp latest. Doesn't look very good. Condition or level. I've launched from there when the level is right at the change of surface to where the right side is unusable. Think I'll sit out this yr.
Picture is decieving. That a LONG way down the ramp. 5 or 6 lanes.

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That looks TERRIBLE!

Granted the State Dock Ramp is not supposed to be one of the ones that is usable, but what do the usable ones look like? What are they usable for to launch?? I don't want to be a guinea pig.

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You are all very welcome to come to Lake Havasu City. But be warned:
Our weather is better
Our parties are bigger
and our women have teeth! (Big warning on that one!)
I guess this can go down as one more plus for Havasu over LOTO. When you drive three hundred miles to play on the river, the last fifteen feet wont stop you.

All funand digs aside, sorry to hear that guys, I feel for the local businesses.

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I think you are confused! Why the reference to LOTO?:rolleyes:

Maybe this is one to chalk up to the midwest - at least we know what lake we are on.:evilb:

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Guys, I know there has been some concern over the launch ramp issues at Cumberland so I thought I'd post a news story regarding the Corp of Engineer's plan to extend and repair the existing ramps.



"Lake Cumberland Ramps To Be Extended"

WLEX-TV
Frankfort (AP) -- The Army Corps of Engineers expects funding soon to allow extension of the number of boat ramps at Lake Cumberland to help deal with the effect of lowering the water level this summer. The reason for doing that is to ease pressure on Wolf Creek Dam because the earthen section of the aging mile-long structure is leaking, placing it at high risk of failing.

Nashville District Commander Steve Roemhildt says the office doesn't have the money for the ramp work now but adds that he has "great expectations" the corps will get such funding in advance of the summer recreation season.

Corps officials are studying ten ramps to see which ones can be extended. Three are operated by the corps and seven are at commercial marinas. The state also will look at extending launch ramps around the giant lake.

Lake access became a critical issue this week because the corps announced a decision to keep the level of the lake at 680 feet above sea level this summer, far below the normal summer pool of 723.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press


END ARTICAL


I think there will be plenty of accesible ramps come September so don't let that stop you guys.

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Maybe they should also pave some of the 'beach' since the working ramps will be short on parking with the numbe rof boaters limited to e few ramps.

Need a valet lauching/retrieval business.