WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Ill. (WSIL) -- Officials will completely drain Little Grassy Lake out of safety concerns for local communities.
Officials with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service say the move is a result of massive flooding, erosion, and deterioration due to climate change. They say their aim is to minimize impacts to the Little Grassy Lake Dam and Crab Orchard Lake Dam.Â
Officials say the Crab Orchard Lake Dam has compromised gates. These could be impacted by a failure of the spillway at Little Grassy Lake, leading to a cascade effect of infrastructure failures which could result in flooding, serious impacts and loss of life for people and property in Carbondale and surrounding communities.
“These proactive measures aim to keep everyone as safe as possible given our concerns with the current condition of the refuge’s aging infrastructure,� said Deb Beck, Infrastructure Management Division Midwest Region, National Wildlife Refuge System.
These moves are part of what is expected to be a two-year process to evaluate and rehabilitate the Little Grassy Lake Dam and Spillway.
The dam was constructed in 1942 and is operating under an emergency action plan. This being due to some issued discovered during a recent inspection, the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service.
For more information, you can find it .
MAKANDA, Ill. -- The Little Grassy Lake Campground & Marina announced its upcoming closure on Saturday.Â
