|
March 8, 2006
SALT FORK LAKE’S BOATING AND FISHING OPPORTUNITIES RESUME
AS REPAIRS TO DAM NEAR COMPLETION
Lake to again resume normal levels at Ohio’s largest state park
 |
| Photo courtesy of Richard Lapham |
COLUMBUS, OH - The multi-million dollar repair project at Salt Fork Lake dam is nearing completion, and water in the 3,000-acre lake in Guernsey County will be allowed to rise to its normal level in the coming weeks. Recreation at the popular boating and fishing destination will resume as usual now that the dam’s drainage system has been repaired, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
Efforts to lower the lake level were initiated in March 2005, and the level was maintained at about 5 feet below normal to facilitate repairs on the dam. The repairs were necessary to replace a malfunctioning drainage system discovered in early 2005 in the quarter-mile-long earthen dam. Construction has now reached a point where normal lake levels will not impact further progress or the safety of the dam.
“Salt Fork is Ohio’s largest state park, and its lake is a vital recreational resource for Guernsey County and the entire region,” said ODNR Director Sam Speck. “We’re pleased that repairs to the dam are being completed on schedule, allowing the kind of outstanding recreation for which Salt Fork Lake is known, to resume.”
Speck also commended the local community and its officials for their cooperation and patience during the months of assessment and repair of the dam.
Total cost for the repair project, including construction, consultants, engineering and materials totals $3.2 million. In November, Great Lakes Construction Company of Hinckley was awarded the dam rehabilitation project. The contractors repaired the dam in sections, digging 20 feet down to install a new drainage system.
The repair plan was based on the recommendations of Gannett Fleming, Inc., an international engineering firm with an extensive background in dam construction and stability analysis. The firm advised ODNR that the dam’s toe drain system, which collects natural seepage through and under the earthen embankment, was not functioning properly.
“With the completion of these repairs and a properly functioning drainage system, we are confident that we should not experience any more problems at the toe of Salt Fork Lake dam,” said Mark Ogden, dam safety administrator with ODNR.
The 17,229-acre Salt Fork State Park records about 1.8 million visitors annually. Salt Fork Lake is open to boats of unlimited horsepower and provides ample fishing opportunities for anglers pursuing largemouth bass, crappies, bluegill, walleye and muskie. Boaters this season can enjoy improvements at both of the park’s marinas, including several replaced docks at Salt Fork Marina and new flotation and decking on the docks at Sugartree Marina.
Overnight guests can enjoy a stay at the park’s resort lodge, 54 family cottages and 212-site newly upgraded campground, which features 50-amp electric service. The park also offers a four-star, 18-hole golf course perched high atop the rugged terrain of southeast Ohio.
For more information about Salt Fork State Park, visit ohiodnr.com or call 740-439-3521.
|