Rainfall prompts Remmel releases

While it was below the threshold for a high-water notification, Entergy Arkansas Inc.’s Hydro Operations office was releasing around 21,000 cubic feet per second of water from Remmel Dam into the Ouachita River on Friday to maintain the levels of lakes Hamilton and Catherine.

“Both lakes Hamilton and Catherine are within their normal pool levels and currently dropping slowly” following heavy rainfall overnight and

during Friday morning and afternoon, the Hydro Operations office said in an email.

“Our plan is to slowly continue to lower the levels of both lakes as more rainfall is expected for the area later today (Friday). We will continue to monitor lake levels and make necessary adjustments until the rainfall has left the area,” the email said.

Lake Hamilton was at 399.78 feet above mean sea level Friday afternoon. Lake Catherine was at 304.17 feet msl, according to information posted on the OneRain website.

Rainfall data posted on the rivergages. com website, which is operated by the Water Control Center of the Vicksburg District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, showed that Blakely Mountain Dam recorded 2.62 inches of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 1 p.m. Friday.

“We advise lakefront property owners and downstream river users to be aware of the weather and understand that this is a flash-flood prone river valley. Please take the appropriate precautions against flash flooding. This latest rainfall event has most likely caused a substantial amount of debris on the lakes so we advise boaters to use caution,” the release said.

Under Entergy’s Emergency Action Plan, the triggering point of a high-water flow event is a discharge of 30,000 cfs from Remmel Dam into the Ouachita River. The utility’s license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requires the Emergency Action Plan, which includes the high-water notification.