Officials keeping water levels in NC lake low

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Officials in a North Carolina city are keeping a lake’s water level artificially low to speed construction of a new dam directly behind the old one.

The News & Record of Greensboro reported Monday that the director of Greensboro’s water resources department says keeping Lake Townsend abnormally low prevents flooding on part of the nearby construction zone. Director Allan Williams says that zone must be completely dry.

Construction crews sank wells to pull out as much groundwater as possible from the soil.

They also shielded the construction zone with a temporary wall of structural steel to keep out any water flowing from the existing dam.

The $34 million dam will replace the old one. It was built 40 years ago but aged prematurely because of faulty concrete.

Information from: News & Record, http://www.news-record.com

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