Ideas forming on how to find lake's leak

Bourbon County Commissioners got a report Friday about a visit to Elm Creek Lake.

On Monday, Commission Chairman Allen Warren said he and Public Works Director Jim Harris were going to meet Engineer Frank Young at the lake to see what can be done to determine where the lake is leaking. Commissioner-elect Lynne Oharah also took the trip.

Warren and Harris had looked at the lake during the summer and discovered water coming out about a quarter of a mile away. There also was a pool churning near the lake outlet, but Warren said the water was not coming from there. Warren said water could be heard, but not seen, flowing through the rocks at the dam.

"It's still leaking," Warren said Friday. "The interesting thing was where you could hear water running through the rocks, it's caved in some."

"Can you see any water?" Second District Commissioner Barbara Albright asked.

Warren shook his head no.

"You can tell (the lake level) is down a ways," he said. "It's got to be below the lake level, to start with, so I would say it is down a couple feet from where the rocks are."

Warren said after talking with Young, everyone agreed the thing to do at this point is dig a trench as close to the dam as possible. He said Young also believes before any digging is done, the valve should be opened to allow the lake to drain until running water can't be heard

Warren said they are looking at two areas. One is near the valve structure and the other is west of the spillway, which is emerging about a quarter of a mile away. Harris, who was absent Friday, needs to be present when a decision is made about opening the valve, Warren said.

He said Oharah has had conversations with some people who believe the valve is not completely closed.

"That would be wonderful if that fixes it," Warren said. "But in that picture where you have the concrete for the water to run from that valve, the water's not running out. I got down and looked real close at the water coming up next to that structure. It's circling in through that structure. So if the valve is not closed sufficiently, that structure has got to have a break in it somewhere. But to me, if it's that structure we're talking about, that's the place of least resistance for the water to get out of there."

While visiting with commissioners on Dec. 8, Don George of Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, brought up the problem at Elm Creek Lake and said the county might qualify for a grant to make repairs.

On Friday, Albright asked about the possibility of writing a grant application. Warren said the trenching could be handled by the county, but repairs to the valve -- if needed -- might qualify for a grant. But before starting the grant process, the county needs to pinpoint the source of the leak, he said.

Accessing the valve won't be easy. Warren said he's been told the valve is set in a concrete structure at the bottom of the lake.

"I'm also being told by some of the county guys that you've got to send a guy down to get to it," Warren said.

He said repairing the valve would most likely require the assistance of an engineer and safety factors have to be considered.

He said he remembers the valve was opened several years ago -- possibly 10 years ago. Third District Commissioner Harold Coleman said he also remembers the lake being drained, but doesn't remember what year.

Oharah said Young also suggested borrowing a camera to determine the condition of the pipe up to the valve.

"My worst fear is that it's not the valve, that it's a leak coming through the dam," Warren said. "If that should be, given enough time, it's going to erode that out."

Jail survey

* A survey to determine whether the community will support a bond issue to build a new jail is now being conducted by Patriot Insight of Stillwell. Albright said she received an email from the company that states there have not been any "difficulties" with the survey. After collecting all the data by Christmas, the company will then begin its analysis.

Other business

* The commissioners held a 20-minute executive session with County Clerk Kendell Mason to discuss non-elected personnel to protect their privacy. No action was taken.

* Commissioners also approved an off-premise malt beverage liquor license for Fort Scott Conoco.