JORDAN LAKE DAM

OPERATION PLAN

 

LITTLE THORNAPPLE INTERCOUNTY DRAIN

DRAINAGE BOARD

 

Abigail Eaton, Michigan Department of Agriculture

Tom Doyle, Barry County Drain Commissioner

John Bush, Ionia County Drain Commissioner

Douglas Sporte, Kent County Drain Commissioner

 

Prepared by:

Spicer Group

St. Johns, Michigan

October 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

I. Statement of Purpose 2
II. Description 2
III. Dam Operation Procedure 3
IV. Emergency Detection, Evaluation and Classification 4
Level 1 - Normal Operation - Lake Level below 811.2 Feet 5
Level 2 - Observation - Lake Level between 811.2 and 811.3 Feet 5
Level 3 - Dam Operation / Observation - Lake Level - 811.3 Feet and Above 6
V. Establishment of Summer Lake Level 7
VI. Establishment of Winter Lake Level 7
VII. Appendices
A. Contact List 8

 

 

I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The purpose of this Operation Plan is to provide a standardized procedure for the operation of the Jordan Lake Dam. The purpose of these operating procedures is to maximize the available Hydraulic capacity at the Jordan Lake Dam while ensuring water levels are not drawn down below summer lake levels. Though these operating procedures will help to slightly reduce the risk of flooding, they will not prevent flooding of landowners on the lake due to the inherent size of the contributing watershed to Jordan Lake (16,187 Acres), the small relative size of the lake (427 Acres) and the limited capacity of the Little Thornapple Intercounty Drain and the culverts located downstream of the dam.

 

II. DESCRIPTION

Jordan Lake Dam is located in Section 4, T.5N.-R.7W., Woodland Township, Barry County, Michigan to the North of Brown Road and East of Beech Street. There is approximately 4 feet of head on the dam under normal summer conditions. Jordan Lake has a surface area of approximately 427 acres with a contributing watershed of approximately 16,187 acres. The dam outlets into the Little Thornapple Intercounty Drain and is currently owned and operated by the Little Thornapple Intercounty Drain Drainage District.

III. DAM OPERATION PROCEDURE

These procedures outline a recommended and consistent procedure to be used by the Drainage Board. It will be necessary to use judgment in determining the specific operation of the dam for unique or unanticipated conditions at the dam. Therefore, we understand some variances from this procedure will be inevitable.

 

A series of “Operation Levels” have been established to indicate what operations should be performed at the dam as a result of potential flooding or high water elevations on Jordan Lake. Each of these Operation Levels has a corresponding lake elevation as measured at the outlet from Jordan Lake into the Little Thornapple Intercounty Drain approximately ¼ of a mile upstream of the dam. For each operation level a list of operating procedures has been established. These procedures are summarized on the following pages.

 

The determination of the lake level shall be made by a member of the Little Thornapple Intercounty Drainage Board through the observation of a staff gauge located on the south end of the lake. The board members will be made aware of any concerns with the lake level by notification from landowners on the lake or by direct observation.

IV. EMERGENCY DETECTION, EVALUATION AND CLASSIFICATION

 

                Level 1 - Normal Operation - Lake Level below 811.2 Feet

                Level 2 - Observation - Level between 811.2 and 811.3 Feet

                Level 3 - Dam Operation/ Observation - Lake Level - 811.3 Feet and Above

The condition and the actions to be taken for each Operation Level are summarized as follows:

 

    Level 1 - Normal Operation - Lake Level Below 811.2 Feet

Condition

§        Water Level at the lake is below 811.2 Feet (0.2 Feet above Summer Level)

Action

§         Summer Level Operating Condition (May 15th through October 31st)

Ø      All stop gates are in place, no action to be taken

§         Winter Level Operating Condition (November 1st through May 14th)

Ø      The top stop gates from 8 bays are removed, no action to be taken

 

    Level 2 - Observation - Lake Level Between 811.2 and 811.3 Feet

Condition

§         Water Level at the lake is at or above 811.2 Feet and below 811.3 Feet

Action

§         Summer Level Operating Condition (May 15th through October 31st)

Ø      All stop gates are in place. Maintain on site observation of lake level

§         Winter Level Operating Condition (November 1st through May 14th)

Ø       The top stop gates from 8 bays are removed. Maintain on site observation of lake level

   Level 3 - Dam Operation/ Observation - Lake Level - 811.3 or Above

Condition

§         Water Elevation is at or above 811.3 Feet

Action

§        Summer Level Operating Condition (May 15th through October 31st)

Ø      Remove 4 center stop gates

Ø      Remove additional stop gates, unless downstream backwater has inundated the dam and there is no observable difference in water surface elevation upstream and downstream of the dam.

Ø      Falling lake level - Replace stop gates when lake returns to summer level - 811.0 Feet, follow Level 1 Operation Procedure

§        Winter Level Operating Condition (November 1st through May 14th)

Ø      The top stop gates from 8 bays are removed

Ø      Maintain on site observation of lake level

V. ESTABLISHMENT OF SUMMER LAKE LEVEL

Condition

§         Stop gates are in winter level position - April 10th

§         Need to Establish Summer lake elevation of 811.0 Feet by May 15th

Action

§        Install stop gates, as needed between April 10th and May 15th.

Ø      The number and timing for installing gates is dependent on the current lake level, ground conditions in the watershed and rainfall received during this period. The dam operators will be required to use their judgment in determining when and how many stop gates are installed during this period.

 

 

VI. ESTABLISHMENT OF WINTER LAKE LEVEL

Condition

§         Stop gates are in Summer lake level position - October 15th

§         Need to Establish Winter lake elevation of 810.0 Feet by October 31st.

Action

§         Remove stop gates, as needed between October 15th and October 31st.

Ø      The number and timing for removing gates is dependent on the current lake level, ground conditions in the watershed and rainfall received during this period. The dam operators will be required to use their judgment in determining when and how many stop gates are removed during this period.

Ø      Total number of gates removed shall be 8 stop gates.

VII. APPENDICES

 

Contact List

 

MICHIGAN DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE                   1) Abigail Eaton                               Mobile:   (517) 930-3006

                                                                                        Maintenance Program Manager     Office:     (517) 241-3933

BARRY COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER        2) Tom Doyle                                  Mobile:   (269) 838-7761

                                                                                        Drain Commissioner                       Office:     (269) 945-1385

                                                                                                                                                 Home:     (616) 765-5463

IONIA COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER          3) John Bush                                    Mobile:   (616) 902-1285

                                                                                        Drain Commissioner                       Office:     (616) 527-5373

                                                                                                                                                 Home:     (616) 794-0448

KENT COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER           4) Douglas Sporte                            Mobile:   (616) 291-9122

                                                                                        Drain Commissioner                       Office:     (616) 336-3688

ENGINEER                                                                    Spicer Group, Inc., St. Johns, MI   Office:     (989) 224-2355

                                                                                        1) Shawn Middleton, PE                 Mobile:   (989) 928-8027

                                                                                        2) Larry Protasiewicz, PE               Mobile:   (989) 928-8013

                                                                                        3) Matt Bugbee, PE                         Mobile:   (989) 233-3005

BARRY COUNTY SHERIFF                                                                                               Office      (517) 543-3512

                                                                                                                                                 Emergency Line 911

IONIA COUNTY SHERIFF                                                                                                 Office      (616) 527-0400

                                                                                                                                                 Emergency Line 911