Boaters on Lake Aldred should be extremely careful over the Memorial Day weekend because of unusual conditions on the Susquehanna River, a PPL Corp. official said Thursday (5/23).

Some maintenance work normally done in time for the holiday weekend has not yet been performed because of high river flows over the past several weeks, said Mark Arbogast, superintendent of the Holtwood Environmental Preserve.

This means that lighted warning buoys upstream from the Holtwood hydroelectric dam – normally in place by May 15 – have not yet been installed. Permanent warning signs for boaters remain in place.

Also, boat docks have not yet been installed at PPL boat ramps at Pequea and York Furnace.

"We urge boaters to get no closer than the large warning signs about one mile upstream of the dam," Arbogast said. "We expect that water will be spilling over the top of the dam for most of the holiday weekend. It’s extremely dangerous to get too close to the dam. Boaters also should be aware that there may be debris in the water from the high river flows."

PPL will install the buoys and docks when river conditions permit, Arbogast said. The 2,400-acre Lake Aldred, formed by the Holtwood dam, is on the Lower Susquehanna River in Lancaster and York counties.