Georgia Power plans drawdown of lake

ALBANY — A drawdown of the water level at Lake Worth/Chehaw is scheduled to start this month and continue into October, according to officials at Georgia Power.

“This is a scheduled drawdown to give property owners and residents an opportunity to perform any needed maintenance,” said Lake Management Representative Michael Barnett. “It will give people a chance to repair docks and other structures along the lake.”

The reservoir reduction will begin on Monday and reach the drawdown bottom elevation by Oct. 5.

According to Georgia Power officials, the lake will be lowered approximately 5 feet, to an elevation of 176.3 feet above sea level. Lake residents are advised to secure their boats during the drawdown.

Officials warn that fluctuations may occur on a daily basis due to generation, rainfall and other factors.

Construction of new structures or maintenance of existing structures must get prior approval before work begins. The plans for any such work must be submitted to Georgia Power, according to a company press release.

Also, residents planning to build a new seawall must complete a Buffer Disturbance Request form. The form has to be approved by the local county issuing authority before a permit will be issued by Georgia Power.

Lake refill will begin on Nov. 1 and reach full pool based on inflows.

Contact Michael Barnett at (706) 322-0228 with any questions regarding the drawdown or permit inquiries. For further information, visit http://georgiapowerlakes.com/bartlettsferry.