Corps, Forest Service to host two public meetings for Isabella recreation plan

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District and the U.S. Forest Service will host two public information gathering meetings Sept. 25-26 to help inform development of the Isabella Lake Dam Safety Modification Project’s recreation plan.

The purpose of the meetings is to gather information from local residents and others interested in recreation at Isabella Lake about possible impacts anticipated as part of the dam modernization project. The information will be incorporated into the project’s recreation plan – a part of the Corps’ environmental impact statement for the project – with a draft scheduled for release in December 2013.

The recreation plan will focus only on the recreation facilities being impacted by the project; it will describe the impacted facilities and propose potential solutions for replacement.

Completed in 1953, Isabella Lake Dam is located approximately 42 miles northeast of Bakersfield. The reservoir is impounded by two earthen dams on the Kern River and Hot Springs Valley. Today, Isabella Lake and its dams help reduce flood risk for Bakersfield and the surrounding region, and are a primary water source for water users throughout Kern County. The Isabella Lake Dam Safety Modification Project looks to address overtopping, seismic and seepage issues identified with Isabella Lake’s main and auxiliary dams to reduce the likelihood of dam failure. In 2013, the Corps entered the pre-construction engineering and design phase of the project. Construction of the dam modifications is scheduled to begin in 2017.

Public Meeting Locations

                        Kernville                                                         Lake Isabella

                        Sept. 25, 2013                                                 Sept. 26, 2013 
                        6 p.m. – 8 p.m.                                                 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. 
                        Kernville Chamber of Commerce                     Lake Isabella Veterans / Senior Center 
                        11447 Kernville Road                                       6405 Lake Isabella Blvd. 
                        Kernville, Calif.                                                  Lake Isabella, Calif.

Meeting Agenda

     Introduction and opening remarks by the Corps of Engineers and Forest Service 
     Introduction to the 2013 summer survey effort and public input survey questionnaires 
     Presentation on project recreation plan (followed by question and answer period)

More information on the Isabella Lake Dam Safety Modification Project is available on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Isabella Lake Dam website: http://bit.ly/IsabellaDam 
 
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