Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Utilities Department

TO:	David L. Corliss – City Manager Cynthia Wagner – Assistant City Manager Diane Stoddard – Assistant City Manager
FROM:	Andy Ensz – Project Engineer
CC:	Dave Wagner – Director of Utilities Mike Lawless – Deputy Director of Utilities Philip Ciesielski – Asst. Director of Utilities Beth Krishtalka – Assistant to Director
Date:	March 24, 2014
RE:	Clinton Lake Minimum Release Deviation Request

Please include the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at the March 25, 2014 meeting:

Authorize the City Manager to send a letter to the Corps of Engineers supporting the request by the Kansas Water Office for deviation from the minimum release schedule at Clinton Lake.

Project Description:

The Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District sets the minimum release from Clinton Lake per the Lake Regulation Manual.  Section 8-7 states “Except during inspection or gate repairs, a minimum instantaneous flow below Clinton Dam of 21 cubic feet per second (cfs) during the period April through September and 7 cfs during the remainder of the year will be maintained for the benefit of downstream fish, wildlife, and aesthetics”. 

On March 21, 2014 the Kansas Water Office submitted a request to maintain the current minimum release of 7 cfs from Clinton Lake instead of increasing the release to 21 cfs on April 1, 2014.  The primary reason for the deviation request if that Clinton Lake’s elevation of 871.2 as of March 20, 2014 was the lowest lake elevation since the lake was first filled in 1981.  While the lake is approximately 4.3 feet below the normal pool elevation, the City has the ability to withdraw water to a depth of 23.5 feet below the normal pool.

Approximately 60% of the water treated by the City is from Clinton Lake.  The City provides treated water to six wholesale customers (Baldwin City, Douglas County Rural Water Districts No. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6).

The deviation request is a temporary deviation that will be in effect through 2014 or until Clinton Lake has sufficient inflow to refill the lake to the normal pool elevation.

Action Request:

Authorize the City Manager to send a letter to the Corps of Engineers supporting the request by the Kansas Water Office for deviation from the minimum release schedule at Clinton Lake.

Thank you for your assistance. Please advise if you have any questions.