Governor Says Dam To Be Replaced

Governor John Kasich met with state and local officials to talk about a report that says the dam at Buckeye Lake could suffer a catastrophic failure. The Governor says that work will begin immediately to replace the 180-year-old earthen dam. Kasich’s office said the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will begin the necessary permitting and design work to replace the 4-point-1 mile dam. Kasich, responding to a question about the lake’s water level said "it is non-negotiable and will stay at winter level during the repair." It’s expected to cost between 125 to 150 million dollars.  A new dam wiill take between four and five years to complete.   The current dam has been weakened by several hundred homes built into it over time, along with docks, trees and utility lines. The report says a dam failure could endanger three-thousand people. Locals say keeping the lake water level low to reduce the risk would sink summer tourism, but Kasich says safety is the main concern.