Short Summary: One week in, and the “Plug” that is supposed to be inserted into the Lower Level Outlet so that the legally required annual drain test (NEVER done in 50 years) can be performed… has still NOT been successfully inserted. To complicate matters, Brennan Construction (the team doing the Lake Petit work) has suddenly, without warning, been pulled offsite to deal with a New unspecified “problem” at the Lake Disharoon Dam. That’s the short of it. More details in the article as follows….
Breaking News on New Problem at Lake Disharoon:
First, we do not know much, because the POA as usual, has not alerted the community as to what is going on. Here’s what we do know….
- Lake Disharoon has been drained. Here is a video from April 19: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TsbG8k9CPdY
- The Community was told in the March ’23 Admin Report (excerpt) that the Lake was going to be lowered 2 feet so that a Corrugated Pipe over by the beach could be replaced. The Report specifically said the lake would NOT be drained. You can see in the video above that it has. You can also see that there is NO work being done over near the beach, digging up any pipe, although that could still be planned.
- The morning of April 19 2023, just before the above video was shot… 3 separate Crew Members of the Brennan Construction crew told FOBC that they were being suddenly pulled from working on the Lake Petit Dam project. They were being relocated to deal with another “problem” at another Dam within the community.
- 1 hour after the video above was shot, the entire team of Brennan Construction relocated to the base of Disharoon Dam. 5 of their employees then went up to the Dam where they spend time looking over the Dam. They were still there when FOBC left the site.
- It is unknown what the issue is. The Big Canoe POA has been non transparent.
Background: Lake Disharoon Dam’s lower level outlet suffered catastrophic failure a couple of years ago, requiring enormous sums of money to be issued to do a quick fix. The job was rushed to try and get the Lake open for summer swim season. The problem is alleged to initially have been caused when an unsupervised POA Employee ordered the Gate thrown wide open…. and the sudden volume of water blew out the old and rusted corrugated pipe. The POA has NEVER addressed the issue, nor told property owners who was responsible for the situation, or whether they were disciplined… or conversely… perhaps promoted and given an enormous pay increase. hint hint
Lake Petit Dam Update: They still haven’t been able to fit the plug in yet. They are going on a week, for what was supposed to be a simple 1 – 2 day job. Now the crew has been inexplicably pulled off the uncompleted job… to work on the unexplained problem at Lake Disharoon Dam.
The POA is currently censoring property owner comments at the events and happening page. Sources say that internally the POA is concerned about a test failure.
I am getting sort of angry that these brave workers / divers are being put in harms way just because the POA refuses to listen to advice about lowering the lake levels to reduce pressure against the plug when the gate is finally cracked open (if we get to that point).
This plug is being inserted into 50 year old concrete. Plenty of studies showing that even marine grade contract deteriorates and gets brittle after that many years. So you have a plug seated in this concrete, and when the gate is opened, the full pressure of the lake will then push against that plug, seated in old concrete. The POA is well aware of the fact that lowering the lake level would reduce the volume,and thereby the force pushing against that plug/concrete seal. But they can’t lower the lake… because they are operating an illegal, non-compliant Dam that doesn’t have a rapid drawdown mechanism. This would be funny… if it wasn’t.
All I can say is that people downstream need to be aware of the exact test time, and warnings given. The POA indicates that it will NOT be providing specific time for the test… because they are concerned someone might document a potential failure of the test.
What a bunch of pathetic losers.
Peace,
– david / publisher / property owner
Focus on Big Canoe, GA
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