After the release of plans for repairs on the Buckeye Lake Dam in Ohio, U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH) released a statement late last week supporting the project.
“This is a good start, and I commend (Ohio) Governor (John) Kasich for his work,” Stivers said. “I am hopeful this plan will ensure safety while speeding Buckeye Lake toward normal water levels.”
Kasich held a press conference last week during which he outlined plans and a timeline for the repairs to the failing dam. Work could start as early as this year, using a design that Ohio officials said could accelerate the repairs and complete them more efficiently.
The earthen dam has been weakened over its 180-year history by hundreds of homes, docks and other structures built around it. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has studied the area and has concluded that the dam is at risk of failing. If the dam were to give way, it would be a disaster that would affect thousands of Ohio residents.
Currently, Ohio residents and businesses are disappointed that the lake’s water level has been lowered as a precaution. The low water level places limits on the availability of boating and water activities, negatively effecting the local economy. To that end, the state has developed a plan to repair, and eventually replace, the dam.
Kasich said officials plan to use compacted soil and cement columns to create a barrier in front of the existing 4.1-mile structure to prevent water seepage. The barrier would then become part of a new dam. A state budgetary panel must approve money for the project, though the current state budget allots $25 million for the dam. A design-consultant engineer has yet to be chosen.
Kasich promised that within a year, residents would see a slightly higher water level in Buckeye Lake, though he said it wouldn’t be rising “all the way up to what people want” due to continued safety risks.
Stivers has represented Ohio’s 15th District in the U.S. House since 2011. Born in Ripley, Ohio, in 1965, Stivers previously served in the Ohio Senate, representing the 16th District. Stivers was educated at Ohio State University. Stivers serves on the following committees: House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Rules.