The Shadow
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COVINGTON, Va. (VR) —The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Norfolk District will temporarily halt water releases from the Gathright Dam for a routine inspection of the outlet tunnel. The halt will occur from Feb. 25-27 and again from Mar. 1-3. The water release will be stopped daily at approximately 7 a.m. for up to six hours to allow for the inspection of the dam’s outlet works.
Additional Outages: Additional temporary outages may occur on Feb. 24 and Feb. 28 as we are prepping for gate closure for inspection. These outages are expected to last approximately three hours each but are subject to change based on operational conditions. Updates will be provided as details become available.
Environmental Monitoring: During these inspections, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) will monitor water conditions in the Jackson River to ensure minimal environmental impact.
Once each inspection period is complete, water releases will resume at a rate of 168 cubic feet per second (cfs) (8.8 feet stage at the Below Gathright Dam USGS gage).
Important Notes:
•The temporary halt in releases may affect water levels in the Jackson River.
•Daily release information will be available after 8:30 a.m. by calling (540) 965-4117.
•The work is weather-dependent and subject to change.
USACE is working closely with DEQ and DWR to ensure the inspection is conducted safely with minimal disruption to the environment. Public safety and environmental protection remain top priorities.
