2nd Expert Says Safe To Raise Level at Buckeye Lake

  An engineering firm that analyzed the deteriorated dam at  Buckeye Lake suggests changes could be made to raise the water level and keep boats and businesses afloat without hindering safety.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says it joins residents in wanting to enable more recreational activities there as soon as possible but won’t raise the water without a plan that meets dam safety standards. It has several concerns about suggestions presented by Pittsburgh-based Rizzo Associates.

The Buckeye Lake Region Chamber of  Commerce sought the Rizzo analysis this spring after a report by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers warned the nearly 180-year-old earthen dam is at risk of failing.

The state has kept the water level low and plans to build a new dam over the next few years.