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LAKE RED ROCK DRAWDOWN POSTPONED SECOND TIME

Based upon flood of 2008 recovery efforts, the Red Rock drawdown scheduled for the fall of 2008 will again be postponed. Efforts by the Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, will be focused on analysis and repair of 2008 flood impacts.

The Lake Red Rock drawdown, and associated work, was initially scheduled for fall 2007 and had been postponed until fall 2008 due to 2007 fall flooding events.  The primary purpose of the drawdown is to replace the cables on the dam Tainter gates. Several cables failed during the flood of 1993. The cables were then put on a 15-year replacement schedule. At the current elevation of Lake Red Rock's conservation pool (742 mean sea level), the tainter gate cable connection brackets are permanently submerged. The drawdown will allow access to the cable connection brackets.

When the drawdown process is able to be rescheduled, the reservoir will be lowered 0.5 feet per day from elevation 742 mean sea level, requiring approximately twenty days to complete the ten-foot drawdown. The reservoir will be held at elevation 732 mean sea level for a maximum of 75 days and then raised as quickly as possible while maintaining outflows of at least 300 cubic feet per second. The cables will be replaced with Corps of Engineers labor. Other work to be performed during the drawdown includes placement of fish habitat structure and completion of a four-lane boat ramp. Both of these projects are sponsored by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. An environmental assessment of the drawdown, with finding of no significant impact, was completed in February 2005.

Drawdown Map

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Drawdown Map - Back Side

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*Note:  Drawdown date/year on map is incorrect - map was created for drawdown's initial scheduled year of 2007.