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Workshop on Sayers Dam water levels should elicit strong public turnout

A plan to conduct a feasibility study to see if adjusting the seasonal water levels in Foster Joseph Sayers Dam will improve the downstream environment is not sitting well with residents and property owners at Howard.

But that should be of no surprise to anyone, especially the study’s sponsoring agencies: The Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Sayers Dam a is a federal flood control impoundment of 1,730-acres at Bald Eagle State Park.

It’s a recreational mecca for boaters, picnickers, swimmers and fishermen.

Local residents are proud of their lake-side community and love it. So do the thousands of lake and park visitors who go there annually.

The lake is critically important to flood control in eastern Centre County, spilling, of course, into western Clinton County.

A public workshop on the study is set to start at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, in the Howard Elementary School, 255 School St. in Howard.

Residents of Howard and park-lake users should attend in droves.

As state Rep. Mike Hanna said in a statement, “I encourage everyone to get their voices heard by joining me on Aug. 30.”

But he also said: “Foster Sayers Lake and the surrounding Bald Eagle State Park must remain the recreational gem it is today. At this time, I believe lowering the lake could cause quality-of-life issues environmentally and loss of economic activity.”

Hanna said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cannot and should not consider any proposals that are detrimental to communities.

U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson said he’s very concerned about the proposed study and any possible changes to water levels.

Thompson lives at Howard.

We published a front page story on Aug. 12 about the upcoming meeting and, subsequently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, issued the following statement in response:

“We want to clarify some misinformation we’ve read recently on social media involving an upcoming public workshop we’re holding in coordination with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) Aug. 30 in Howard, Pa. This public workshop between the Corps and SRBC was requested by the public and helps to kick off a feasibility study to investigate the possibility of adjusting the amount of water we release from F.J. Sayers reservoir, as well as the timing of these releases, in order to improve flows and environmental benefits downstream during certain timeframes, like a drought.

“The Corps primarily operates F.J. Sayers for flood risk management (in which it has prevented approximately $213 million in flood damages since constructed). Secondarily, the project offers recreational benefits. We are conducting this study with SRBC (our non-federal sponsor) to learn what the impacts would be from making project modifications. Feedback from the public throughout the process is vitally important. Whatever recommendations this study yields would minimize to the fullest extent possible impacts to flood control and/or recreation.

“At the conclusion of the study, the recommendation may be not to make any project modifications at all. We just won’t know until we finish this study. Throughout the duration of our work, we will continue to collaborate with our partners and the public to gather information and receive feedback. The study schedule is still getting worked out, but it will take more than a year. We will have a draft report out to the public for formal comment at that time, which we will share via our social media pages and public website. We remain objective as we work with SRBC and our partners to compile data and set forth our study recommendations.”

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