8544-R5_ML&P_LSLA_2023_FallNewsletter_Web

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Fall 2023 - Hopkins Dam Report Rod Bernier, Hopkins Dam Keeper

again. We haven’t fully close again since. Mother Nature was not kind to us. Frequent heavy rains caused high lake levels all summer. On August 9 th we were over 10” above summer level even though we fully opened the dam days prior to the predicted storm. Downstream flooding prevented us from being able to be fully open many times. We adjusted the dam gate opening 42 times this summer - very different from last summer (2022) when the lake level was low most of the summer despite our dam being fully closed from June 18th to September 6 th . There were many questions this year as to why the lake level was above our target level all summer. With the dam fully open, the lake level can come down about an inch a day. An inch of rain can raise the lake level 3 inches. We can only open our dam to the extent that it is not inundating downstream ponds, streams, and rivers. All summer long the volume of rain received exceeded our capacity to release water and/or the capacity of downstream water bodies to receive water from us. Having said all of the above, I am very happy to report that Hopkins Dam is in excellent condition. The gate and operating system were put to the test this year and are working great. There are currently minimal leaks in the sluiceway. My thanks to the Dam Committee – Gary Kenny and Justine Beaudoin. Thanks to former Dam Keeper Bruce Micucci for his continued assistance and insight. The entire Dam Committee thanks the LSLA Board of Directors and the LSLA membership for your support. Rod Bernier Hopkins Dam Keeper

As I write this on October 20 th , Little Sebago Lake is 3 inches below our summer mandated level of 289.2’ above Portland Harbor mean low tide. We started to gradually open Hopkins Dam to begin the process of the winter drawdown three days early on October 12 th because the lake was 1.5” above our summer level due to rain. As of today, we are open to the maximum amount that downstream can handle. With no rain, the lake level will drop about 1” a day until the lake drops below the level of the bottom of the raised gate. An inch of rain can bring the lake level back up 3”, so the drawdown is never a straight-line process. Heavy rain is in the immediate forecast. Hopkins Dam was closed a couple of days late on April 17 th due to issues downstream. Little Sebago was 18” below our mandated summer level at that time. The lake filled very quickly and we were at summer level by May 1 st - well ahead of our goal of a full lake by Memorial Day weekend. The dam was opened on May 2 nd , but the lake level continued to rise due to very heavy rainfall. We stayed open until May 16 th when we finally dropped back to summer level. Heavy rains forced us to open again 5 days later. Hopkins Dam remained open at various levels until July 21st when we were able to close it for 1 day before rain caused us to open

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