Huntington District -- The Huntington District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be hosting public meetings to propose modifying the Water Control Manual for Burnsville Lake.
A change to the WCM requires the district to undertake NEPA and host relevant public meeting to insure public involvement. The Burnsville meetings will be held in Elizabeth and Burnsville, WV.
The modifications being proposed for Burnsville Lake are as follows:
- Document the 2010 change of the maximum summer outflow. A study was undertaken in 2010 which indicated there were no benefits to having a different maximum flow between summer and winter seasons. As such, the maximum summer outflow was increased to match the maximum winter outflow. This study was validated in 2024.
- Reduce augmentation flows required to dilute pollution at Elizabeth. When Burnsville was built storage in the lake was dedicated to providing pollution dilution in the reach of the river below Elizabeth WV. In 2022 studies were conducted by the Huntington District and the WV Department of Environmental Protection that indicate pollution dilution is not necessary.
- Redefine the approving official for non-standard operations for actions relating to periodic inspections, maintenance and construction, environmental flows, special releases, temporary changes in lake elevation, and actions associate with emergencies. Historically, these actions required National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) evaluation and approval by the Commander of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division. It is proposed that these actions continue to require NEPA evaluation but approval shift to the Commander of the Huntington District.
The dates and addresses for the public meetings are as follows:
September 24, 2024
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Elizabeth Town Hall
73 Town Hall Lane
Elizabeth, WV 26143
September 26, 2024
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Burnsville Community Center
237 Kanawha Ave.
Burnsville, WV 26335
Release no. 24-137