Lucas: Water released from dam to keep river higher
Process likely to take several days until lake level returns to normal
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From staff reports
LEWISTOWN -- After cresting right around 23 feet in Lewistown on Thursday, the Juniata River has begun to recede, but it won't return to normal levels for several days.
That's because the Army Corps of Engineers, which operates Raystown Dam in Huntingdon County, will begin reopening its flood gates to release water in an effort to return Raystown Lake to its normal depth of 786 feet, according to Mifflin County Emergency Services Director Phil Lucas.
Lucas said the prediction is the Juniata River will remain in the 19-foot range until the lake returns to its normal level. The action stage is 18 feet in Lewistown with flood stage at 23 feet.
The A.C.E. proactively closed the flood gates on the dam once it became apparent the river would rise rapidly due to a soaking rain Wednesday due to Tropical Depression Ida, which Lucas said helped to prevent more severe flooding.
The dam serves as the headwaters for the Raystown branch of the Juniata River, which meets the main river just southeast of Huntingdon Borough.
Lucas also said that most small streams and tributaries of the Juniata River had returned to within their banks by Thursday morning.