LakeCumberlandBoaters.com

http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Media/New ... at-la.aspx

NASHVILLE DISTRICT

Nashville District
Home

NR 14-003: Corps, Fish and Wildlife Service address compliance requirements at Lake Cumberland
Posted 1/29/2014
Release no. 14-003


Contact
Bill Peoples (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
615-736-7161
william.l.peoples@usace.army.mil
or
Tom MacKenzie (U.S. Fish and Wildllife Service)
404-679-7292
tom_mackenzie@fws.gov



NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 29, 2014) – In compliance with federal environmental laws and regulations, the Corps of Engineers Nashville District is actively consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the discovery of new populations of an existing endangered species in Lake Cumberland, Kentucky. Until this consultation is completed, the Corps will target a maximum pool elevation of 705 feet, which is the same as the 2013 recreation season’s elevation.

A species survey report on Dec. 11, 2013, confirmed the presence of the federally endangered Duskytail Darter in five miles of stream habitat in the headwaters region of the lake that were exposed during the drawdown. The survey was a required compliance commitment made by the Corps as part of the Record of Decision for the Wolf Creek Dam/Lake Cumberland Environmental Impact Statement related to the emergency drawdown of the lake.



“We are working closely with the Fish and Wildlife Service to determine an appropriate course of action including what conservation measures could be implemented to minimize any potential impacts to this species,” said Lt. Col. John L. Hudson, Nashville District commander. “The lake will operate this coming recreation season at about 25 feet higher than when construction was ongoing at Wolf Creek Dam, which will enable the same access to the lake and its significant recreational opportunities as the public enjoyed last year. We are working in close consultation with the Service to ensure our actions are protective of the endangered species and its habitat as required by the Endangered Species Act.”

A final decision about Lake Cumberland pool operating levels will be made after the Corps completes a biological assessment and the Service prepares a biological opinion. The outcome of that formal consultation process will determine the way forward.

“Our plan is to complete consultation with the Corps as soon as possible after we receive their biological assessment,” said Lee Andrews, field supervisor of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Kentucky Field Office. “This is our top priority. We have already worked with the Corps to develop a number of potential conservation measures that, when implemented, will minimize impacts to the Duskytail Darter and expedite our review of the project. We will continue to work with our partners in the Corps to make that happen.”



Construction on the Wolf Creek Dam cutoff wall is complete. All evidence to date indicates that the dam remediation work is functioning as intended. Ongoing construction activities to remove the remaining shot rock fill on the upstream face of the embankment are expected to be completed by early March 2014.



The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps Nashville District website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps.

Endangered fish found in Lake Cumberland may prevent raising lake to normal summer level

By Bill Estep

bestep@herald-leader.comJanuary 29, 2014 Updated 2 hours ago

1kFfs4_AuSt_79.jpg (93.49 KiB) Viewed 3702 times

Dan Garry, center, of Shelby Township, Micihgan, was one of more than a dozen people who rented a houseboat at Lake Cumberland State Dock Memorial Day weekend to hold a bachelor party for his son, David, who is getting married next weekend. Here, they load supplies into carts to take to the boat on 5/24/2013. Bill Estep photo





Link
Learn more about the duskytail darter in Lake Cumberland http://www.fws.gov/northeast/virginiafi ... ink=relast
Related Stories:
With water level higher, optimism rises around Lake Cumberland http://www.kentucky.com/2013/05/25/2653 ... ink=relast


The presence of an endangered fish in the headwaters of Lake Cumberland will likely prevent raising the surface level of the lake to the normal summer level this year, for the eighth year in a row.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found the species, the duskytail darter, in five miles of headwaters of the Southern Kentucky lake during a survey in December, according to a news release issued Wednesday.

The duskytail darter — a member of the perch family native to Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia — was found in areas that would be flooded if the corps raises the lake level to the traditional summer level of 723 feet above sea level, said Don Getty, an official with the corps.

The agency dropped the surface of the lake to 680 feet in January 2007 and kept it there until last year in order to ease pressure on Wolf Creek Dam during a massive project to repair leaks.

Visitation dropped during the drawdown, hurting businesses around the giant lake.

With the bulk of the repair project done early last year, the corps allowed spring rains to push the lake level to 705 feet while testing to make sure the repairs had worked.

Tourism interests had hoped the corps would be able to let the lake rise to 723 feet this year. However, that can't happen until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives the green light because of the endangered darter.

The corps is consulting with Fish and Wildlife on measures that could be used to lessen the impact of raising the lake on the endangered darter population, Getty said.

Both agencies are making the issue a priority, but it is unlikely they can finish the process in time to let the lake level return to 723 feet this year, Getty said.

Bill Estep: (606) 678-4655. Twitter: @billestep1

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/01/29/3058 ... rylink=cpy

Karrie Bibb, left, and her husband Brent Bibb fish from the bank at Lake Cumberland State Dock on 5/24/2013 while their children Kayden, 2, and Jordan, 3, watch. The water level was much lower in the lake last summer. Bill Estep photo

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/01/29/3058693/endangered-fish-found-in-lake.html#storylink=cpy

ID8W6_AuSt_79.jpg (83.79 KiB) Viewed 3702 times

There was a steady stream of people taking carts full of food, beer and other supplies to houseboats and runabouts at Lake Cumberland State Dock on 5/24/2013. Bill Estep photo

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/01/29/3058693/endangered-fish-found-in-lake.html#storylink=cpy

steady stream of people.jpg (68.14 KiB) Viewed 3702 times

A steady stream of visitors put their boats into the water at the rampnearLake Cumberland State Dock on 5/24/2013. Bill Estep photo

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/01/29/3058693/endangered-fish-found-in-lake.html#storylink=cpy

boats.jpg (97 KiB) Viewed 3702 times