The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District issued the following statement.
Pearl River Valley Water Supply District officials say they will begin the drawdown of Barnett Reservoir as scheduled on Friday, Dec. 13, as part of its ongoing battle against Giant Salvinia.
The goal is to reach a lake level of 295.0 feet above mean sea level to allow its Salvinia task group to begin work on the one final area of Pelahatchie Bay where a small infestation of the dangerously invasive plant was found in October.
“Our plan is to begin lowering the lake by releasing water at a rate of 1,500 cubic feet per second
more than what is entering the lake upstream,” said PRVWSD General Manager John Sigman. “Obviously, we will alter that plan if at any time the amount we are releasing poses a threat to downstream locations.”
Sigman said the plan would allow the reservoir to fall from its current level of 297.59 to the lower level by the end of the year, or about two weeks.
“That allows us two months, January and February, to work on the affected area and to begin raising
the lake and returning it as conditions allow to its normal level of 297.5,” Sigman said.
The lowering was delayed two weeks to allow boaters with crafts moored either at docks, on lifts or
in boat houses to prepare for the low-water conditions.
Those who have yet to take the necessary steps are urged to do so immediately.
While boating on the 33,000-acre lake will remain open, boaters are advised to use the utmost of caution while navigating on the shallow impoundment. At the lower level, more obstacles are brought to or near the surface and become hazards.
PRVWSD anticipates the closing of many of its public boat ramps due to low water. Those closures
will be announced as they become necessary. The closures will be posted on the agency’s website at therez.ms.gov.
5 comments:
Why don’t they buy some of those Salvinia-eating beetles, turn them loose, and let nature take its course?
Theres no telling what else those Salvinia-Eating Beetles with devour. The could create swarms like the imported Japanese Lady Beetles we see from time to time.
to 12:52...introducing another invasive insect to control an invasive weed is not a good idea. the ringneck pheasant is the only success story in the history of foreign species introduction. everything else has been an ecological disaster. the only bigger disaster than Salvinia is the PRVWSD who run the reservoir.
The more important and serious issue is what will the Jackson Yacht Club membership due without another venue to swing?
Let's import thousands of Israeli carp to devour the green algae in Mississippi lakes, they said. Now we are over-run with flying carp.
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