First Phase is Complete in the Buckeye Lake Dam Project

 The Ohio Department of Natural Resources announced Thursday that the water levels at Buckeye Lake are rising and boats are allowed back on the lake, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

The 1st phase of the Buckeye Lake improvements has finished one-year ahead of schedule. ODNR’s Director, Jim Zehringer said the gates have now been closed and the water level will rise approximately 2 feet. State Senator, Troy Balderson, said the project is one phase closer to being completed.

"Basically what phase one was to get the dam to accommodate more water, that was project number one. The dam still needs more work and that work will continue. There’s going to be almost four phases through this whole project and that will be the time frame. Within five years the whole project should be done," said Senator Balderson.

Senator Balderson said the rise in water levels will allow Buckeye Lake businesses and residents to get back to some normalcy.

"This means their life is going to get back to normal a little bit quicker. It won’t be completed all of the way but, normalcy is the biggest thing for them and bringing back the activities that they had before this happened," said Senator Balderson.

Phase 2 of the Buckeye Lake Dam replacement project is currently being designed.