Posted on May 22, 2023
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District shared an update on the water quality selective withdrawal system at Beltzville Dam in Carbon County, PA
The selective withdrawal system requires maintenance and will be unavailable until repairs are completed. This means USACE will be unable to manipulate downstream temperatures within Pohopoco Creek. Under normal operations, the selective withdrawal system allows water to be mixed from varying depths of the lake to maintain a prescribed release temperature, thus allowing colder water at the bottom of the reservoir to be preserved for later in the season. These cooler temperatures can greatly benefit downstream conditions for fish and other aquatic species.
USACE anticipates the water in Pohopoco Creek will be colder than typically experienced in other years, with the potential for warmer conditions in late August into early fall. USACE is working closely with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to assess and assess risk on in-lake and downstream aquatic wildlife.
