Heavy rain and melting snow raised water in Lake Wallenpaupack to a level that caused Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. to open the roller gates on top of the lake's dam Saturday night (1/27) to do a controlled release of water.

"Although the Wallenpaupack hydroelectric plant was operating at full capacity, it was not drawing enough water from the lake to keep up with water coming in from the 212-square-mile watershed area that feeds the lake," said Bill Bergstresser, PP&L's Honesdale area community development director.

"About 7 p.m. Saturday we decided to open the roller gates on top of the dam about 2 feet and do a controlled release of water in order to maintain the integrity of the dam," he added.

About 3 million gallons a minute are being released. PP&L expects to continue to release water until the level of water in the lake can be maintained by the flow to the hydroelectric plant alone.

Release of the water caused basement flooding in three homes along the Wallenpaupack Creek, Bergstresser said. "When water is released, it goes into the creek and from there into the Lackawaxen River. The increased flow in the creek caused water to get into fissures in the walls of the creek bed and spread into the basements of three homes.

"PP&L crews have been sent to the affected homes to pump the basements."

PP&L had been maintaining the lake at a level 10-foot below the top of the dam before the heavy rain and melting snow the weekend of Jan. 20. "That weather raised the level significantly, so we were unable to handle the additional influx of water this week," Bergstresser said.

Currently, the lake is at 1,188.5-feet above sea level, he added.