Damn Dam In Danger Of Deluge

The US Army Corp. Of Engineers has been called in to secure the Wolf Creek Dam due to seepage. Water moving under the dam is eroding the limestone at the base of the structure and weakening it's integrity.

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Fearing a dam break that could cause catastrophic flooding in Kentucky and Tennessee, the Army Corps of Engineers began lowering the water level on Lake Cumberland on Monday.

The measure was aimed at reducing pressure on the weakened 240-foot-high dam, said Lt. Col. Steven J. Roemhildt, commander of the Corps of Engineers' Nashville office.
Dam Story

I looked at it on Google Earth and grabbed a few screen captures.
You can see how much water this holds back.

The dam is on the far left....


A little closer...


Face shot...



From the ESPN outdoor page....

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday began lowering the water level on Lake Cumberland in what it called "emergency measures" to alleviate pressure on Wolf Creek Dam.

The leaky 240-foot-high dam is enough of a threat to break that officials were warning residents in the downriver areas to develop evacuation plans as they announced the project.

For many residents and tourists — as well as many fish — the results of the lake lowering will be severe. But a breach of the mile-long dam would no doubt be worse, causing an estimated $3 billion in damage to cities along the Cumberland River, which cuts through downtown Nashville, Tenn.
sports.espn.go.com...

Some stories about this seem more concerned about the impact this will have on boating in the area, and how people won't be able to get to the water from the launches. But if this thing gives way the city of Nashville is going to have a lot of water to deal with.


Nashville may flood, but the first towns hit will simply be washed away.

Background info on the dam:
www.lakecumberlandscene.com...
en.wikipedia.org...