Report: Repair Buckeye Lake dam or risk public safety

BUCKEYE LAKE - Draining Buckeye Lake, replacing the 4.1-mile Buckeye Lake dam and evacuating the 3,000 people within the "inundation zone" are all options being considered after the release of a report identifying serious problems with the dam.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report, released Wednesday, identified serious problems with the dam and significant risk to the public. It states a catastrophic dam failure would endanger the lives of about 3,000 people who live and work near the dam. The lake is roughly halfway between Columbus and Zanesville, just south of Interstate 70.

James Zehringer, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said the lake will remain open, but the lower, winter pool water levels will remain in place while decisions are made in the next couple weeks on a long-term course of action.

"This dam could breach at any time," Zehringer said. "It could be a sunny day. Draining the lake would be very catastrophic economically, but we're looking at public safety, No. 1. Draining it is the No. 1 way to ensure no breach."

The structural integrity of the dam has been significantly weakened by the more than 370 homes and other structures that have been sunk into the 4.1-mile earthen dam embankment, according to the report.

Portions of the dam have been dug away to accommodate pools and patios, utilities and drainage systems for the structures that are built into the dam, the report states.

"This has all weakened the dam and undermined its stability," Zehringer said of construction attached to the dam. "That certainly complicates the integrity of the dam.

"We're sensitive to the economic impact, but public health and safety is a top priority. All options are on the table."

Failure of the dam could release an 8-foot wall of water and debris, Zehringer said.

The decision to evacuate nearby residents would be a local one, the director said, made by emergency management officials, fire chiefs or county sheriffs.

The dam was built with materials not up to today's standards, Zehringer said. The dam was constructed from 1825 to 1832, creating the lake. Buckeye Lake State Park is Ohio's oldest park.

ODNR spokesman John Wisse said the dam was designed as a canal feeder lake, not as a flood control reservoir, and not designed for its current usage.

The dam failed in 1834 and was repaired, then sustained near failures in 1968, 1990, 2003 and 2006, Wisse said.

According to the report, recommendations for immediate and longer-term steps should be taken to prevent the consequences of a catastrophic failure of the dam. Highlights of the study include:

- The likelihood of a catastrophic failure of the dam at normal pool level and above is high.

- A failure of the dam would include significant economic damages and probably loss of life.

- Immediate steps to reduce the risk of dam failure must be taken.

- Alternative long-term risk reduction measures include building a new dam or draining the lake.

Zehringer said money is available to begin engineering the design of a new dam to see what it would look like, how long it would take and how much it would cost. But beginning the engineering work does not guarantee a new dam will be constructed, he said.

"There have been many studies. They have evaluated it previously, but the report found them outdated and incomplete and not reliable."

Buckeye Lake officials have cited the previous studies recently to show the dam was stable.

State Sen. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the expert on dams, so he does not question its recommendations.

"They cite catastrophic failure with little to no warning," Hottinger said. "Of course, I'm concerned about the economic impact, but doing nothing and ignoring the report is not an option."

Patrick Plankenhorn, first vice president of the Buckeye Lake Region Chamber of Commerce, said last week he did not think there was any imminent danger and area businesses needed the gates closed to allow the water level to rise to its summer level.

Zehringer said fishing and some boating would be permitted on the lake, located in Licking, Fairfield and Perry counties.

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