Lake Expected to Be Low Enough to Store Storm-Water Runoff

PPL Corporation has been lowering the level of Lake Wallenpaupack to store runoff from predicted heavy rain associated with Tropical Storm Ernesto.

“The lake is more than 9 feet below the dam at this point and is being lowered to its minimum allowable level,” said Paul Canevari, regional community relations director for PPL in the lake area. “That means the lake should have sufficient capacity to store the expected rainfall across the watershed this weekend.”

PPL is managing the lake level by running the hydroelectric plant at the lake. Running the power plant lowers the lake level and increases water-storage capacity because the plant is powered by water from the lake.

PPL is working closely with the Delaware River Basin Commission and monitoring weather forecasts and river levels so that it can minimize the amount of water coming out of Lake Wallenpaupack while maximizing water-storage capacity, Canevari said.

Based on the actions PPL has taken and the current weather forecast, the company does not expect at this time to release water through the Lake Wallenpaupack spillway.

PPL has been operating the power plant in anticipation of the expected rainfall, even though the power was not needed by the region’s electricity customers, Canevari said.

The lake level has been reduced despite several days of rain that has fallen this week over northeastern Pennsylvania.

The lake level as of midday Thursday (8/31) was 1180.8 feet above sea level and falling. The minimum allowable lake level on Aug. 31 under the license granted to PPL by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is 1180.5 feet. The top of the dam is 1190 feet above sea level. The current lake level is available online here.

PPL’s Wallenpaupack hydroelectric project, near Hawley, Pa., was built in 1926. It provides clean, renewable energy; supports flood control and drought relief in the Lackawaxen and upper Delaware River watersheds; and supplies year-round economic benefits to the community from the recreational opportunities it provides.

PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL), headquartered in Allentown, Pa., controls about 11,500 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets and delivers electricity to more than 5 million customers in Pennsylvania, the United Kingdom and Latin America.