High Water at Kerr Lake Forces Gaston Levels Up
February 21, 2010

Officials with Dominion Power say unusually high warter upstream at Kerr Lake has forced them to release more water into Lake Gaston. As a result, Gaston has been above 200 feet since January 16th, according to Army Corps of Engineers data reported by the Lake Gaston Association.

The Lake Gaston level is supposed to be between 199 and 200 feet except in cases of emergency. The LGA says it has been told that whenever Kerr Lake is above 300 feet, it is considered an emergency.

Kerr has been above 300 feet since January because of increased inflow from melting snow and heavy rains. Kerr is currently 15 feet higher than the Army Corps of Engineers would like and as a result some roads are nearly nuder water, some parking lots are flooded and some boat ramps are closed. In addition, there is more debris in Kerr Lake than usual.

The higher than normal water in Lake Gaston could also pose a problem for some homeowners here. Gaston residents are advised to check their boats and docks to make sure the lake levels haven't caused damage.