Corps to lower water level at Lake Hartwell

ANDERSON, S.C. - The U-S Army Corps of Engineers plans to lower the already low water levels on Lake Hartwell, which borders South Carolina and Georgia, in the next few weeks.

The corps will move more water downstream into Russell Lake and Thurmond Lake in the next four weeks to bring reservoir levels closer to balance.

In recent months the corps had slowed the flow into the three lakes because of a building drought. The pool at Lake Hartwell has fallen slower than the lakes downstream, creating an imbalance.

Yesterday, Lake Hartwell was 653 feet above mean sea level but is expected to decline to 651 feet by November Third. Lake Thurmond was at 322 feet yesterday and is expected to be around 320 feet by November Third. Lake Russell is now at 474 feet and typically fluctuates little due to its size and design.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)