Friends of Sebago Lake
P.O. Box 445, Casco, ME 04015 · www.friendsofsebago.org
June 16, 2003
Ms. Magalie Salas, Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20426
RE: Eel Weir Dam Project (FERC No. 2984)
Dear Ms. Salas,
On February 14, 2003 the Commission sent S.D. Warren, the Applicant for
the above mentioned project, an Additional Information Request (AIR) .
Friends of Sebago Lake (FOSL) has recently found correspondence from S.D.
Warren to the Commission dating from 1989 regarding the flood prevention
capabilities of the Eel Weir Dam. An original and eight copies of this
correspondence are enclosed. This information appears to be pertinent to
the Commission's February 14, 2003 AIR regarding the flood storage capabilities
of the Eel Weir Dam.
In this correspondence, S.D. Warren states of the Potential Maximum Precipitation
(PMP) estimated for Sebago Lake:
"The PMP determined for Eel Weir is 18.45 inches of rain in a 24 hour
storm. Never, in the recorded history of this region, has this figure been
approached."
According to the study titled Flood of October 1996 in Southern Maine.
U.S. Dept. of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Investigation
Report 97-4189, up to 19.19 inches of rain fell on the region just below
the Eel Weir Dam on October 20-22, 1996.
Regarding what S.D. Warren should do at the Eel Weir Dam if a large flood
occurs, the company asks the Commission in its letter: "With this amount
of water, the decision must be made -- whom do we want to flood? Should
we try to hold the entire PMF in Sebago Lake and inundate the majority of
camp and home owners around the lake, or should we pass the PMF flow down
stream and flood the down stream camp and home owners?"
The issues raised by S.D. Warren in this letter affirm our organization's
belief that a lower lake level at the Eel Weir Dam would be very helpful
to reduce such flooding and associated property damage.
Sincerely,
Douglas Watts
for Friends of Sebago Lake
CC: Service List