Johnstown Flood

A few months ago, Patrick was on a business trip in California, (I think) and in his blog that he wrote while there, he mentioned reading a book about the Johnstown Flood. Memories of my father and his fascination with the Johnstown flood, stirred in my brain. When I was a very young girl, Dad would tell us stories about that devastating disaster. It had taken place in 1889 and neither Mother nor Dad had been born at the time. I told Pat that I was familiar with some of the aspects of the flood. He sent me a copy of the book written by David McCullough, the Social Historian. It is a facinating book and I would recommend it.

In the mountains above Johnstown, an old earth dam had been rebuilt so that a lake could be created. The rich industrialists from that era wanted to take advantage of the beautiful lands in that area. Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick and Andrew Mellon were among the tycoons that developed the exclusive summer resort named the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. The earth dam was 850 feet across the top and 62 ft. high. It took 15 years to complete when it was first built. When the dam was purchased by the tycoons they did a lot of repair work on the structure. They stocked the lake with fish and planned to open up some of the surrounding area to deer hunters. (club members) They were advised to have the dam inspected time after time but did not heed the advise. Even Johnstown citizens voiced concern after a few years but were ignored. As you already know one of the most devastating disasters America has ever known happened. More than 2000 people killed and $17 billion in damages and as one of the book's chapter titles said, "Our misery is the work of man."

Fast forward to 2010.Harrington Lake is a 2,335-acre artificial lake located in Mercer, Garrard and Boyle counties in Kentucky, USA. The lake was created by Kentucky Utilities' damming of the Dix River in 1925 to gererate hydroelectric power. With a maximum depth of 249 ft. Herrington Lake is the deepest lake in Kentucky. Dix Dam;, the dam that made the lake, was the largest earth-filled dam in the world at the time , and considered to be a major engineering feat. The generating station at the dam is now mainly used for flood control uner control of the Army Corps of Engineers. Kentucky Utilities'main dispatch and communication center is located on the site.

In the March 3 Courier Journal, the mayor of Louisville made a statement about the possible purchase of LG&E by the city of Louisville or the state of Kentucky. He said officials will "explore every option...that would be in the best interests of the rate payers in Louisville and throughout the entire state."

e.On and KU are the present owners of LG&E. It is a German company. The mayor is being advised by a letter writer to the CJ that he and his advisors need to consult with the Kentucky Council for Dix Dam Safety, a "watchdog group" in Frankfort, KY prior to establishing any purchase considerations.

The KCDDS has been demanding for two years that e.On and KU prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that their E.W. Brown Power Station's poorly designed, 287 foot high, 1010 foot long Dix Dam at Herrington Lake is not in dangerous condition, due to insufficient maintenance and minimal regulatory oversight during its 85-year lifespan.

There is a possibility that the dam could fail at any given moment__especially when the Kentucky River is at dangerous floodlevels _ the cities of Frankfort and Danville, and tens of thousands of families and businesses throughout central Kentucky, that rely on Herrington Lake for their water supplies, would suffer immediate, severe, deadly and long-lasting consequences.

Rates should not necessarily be the primary concern when it comes to the E.W.Brown Station at Herrington Lake. Kentuckian lives and properties should be. I don't want my future progeny to be reading about the devestation caused by the failure of another faulty dam. Which is more important, low rates or death and destruction? Be sure you get your priorities in line.