COLONEL KERTIS IS REAPING WHAT HE HAS SOWN

Colonel Edward Kertis is not helping with our pleas to restore confidence in lake levels for Thurmond and Hartwell. He increased flows from 3600 to 4,000 cfs knowing that we had no rain, knowing that the lake was falling, knowing that he had the authority to stay at 3600 and knowing that no downstream users had requested higher flows. He has even been quoted as saying that Lake Thurmond and Hartwell were never intended to be used for economic development and recreational purposes.

So far as the claim that our lakes were never intended for economic development it stands to reason that it is just wrong to destroy the economic health of the lake communities. Besides this runs counter to the efforts of the US Government to improve economics everywhere throughout the country. While the US Government is trying to maximize economic recovery the Corps which is a branch of the government is refusing changes that would improve the economic health of our communities.

So far as the claim that the lakes were not intended for recreational uses the Colonel is wrong. That is one of the major objectives assigned to the Corps of Engineers regarding these lakes and it is fully documented in their guidelines for managing these lakes.

I've heard him claim he never hears complaints from residents around the lakes about his management of our lakes. We need for everyone to call his office and complain about the Corps’ failure to improve their drought management plan and demand he drop to 3100cfs to make up for the summer months at 4,000cfs.