MOBILE, Ala. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District announced today that on August 1, 2020, the District will begin its scheduled 3-foot water level drawdown at Walter F. George Lake, in preparation for planned repairs to the dikes at Walter F. George Dam damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018.
As initially announced on June 18th, the public is reminded that while the drawdown and repairs are underway, the following areas remain temporarily closed to pedestrian access and vehicle traffic to ensure public safety:
- The Walter F. George Dam
- The Georgia and Alabama dikes
With large trucks and heavy equipment passing frequently through the area, the public is urged to heed all safety and traffic warnings.
Starting on August 1st. Walter F. George Lake’s water level will be gradually lowered from the current level of approximately 189.0 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) to a target level of 186.0 feet MSL over a period of approximately six weeks, to facilitate the repair of the Alabama and Georgia dikes. The water level will fluctuate around the target depth of 186.0 feet MSL for a period of about six additional weeks.
The target 186.0 feet MSL drawdown elevation when repairs are scheduled to begin this fall is approximately 1.7 feet lower than the typical seasonal mean pools during that time of the year. However, in dry years, water levels at Walter F. George Lake have actually gone below the target 186.0 feet MSL needed for this fall’s construction work.
Because of shallower water depths, all boaters — even the most experienced longtime users of Walter F. George Lake — are strongly urged to exercise extreme caution due to potentially life-threatening hazards such as stump fields and sand bars that may be exposed or, more dangerously, slightly submerged and therefore difficult to see. Take all appropriate safety precautions before entering any area of Walter F. George Lake:
- Always check water depths
- Always wear Personal Flotation Devices (life jackets, etc.)
For more information, or for updates on water levels as the lake is drawn down, please call the USACE Walter F. George Lake Resource Management Office at (229) 768-2516, or visit Facebook @WalterFGeorgeLake.
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With an area of operation across Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and northern Florida, and a vast military region that includes operations across Central and South America, the Mobile District’s award- winning teams of engineering, construction, regulatory and emergency management professionals are nationally recognized for their leadership in delivery of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ civil works and military programs missions to the Nation.
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