To the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers

It seems clear that the Corps is trying to cover its bases concerning the Isabella Dam repairs in a very convoluted manner as compared to the Seattle Dam Project illustrated here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090928/ap_on_re_us/us_leaky_dam, where the Corps has taken immediate remedial action.

In 1948, Congress appropriated funds to build a dam to prevent flooding of Bakersfield. The dam was completed in March of 1953. The time from the of appropriation of money to the time of completion was slightly under five years.

The time frames that you express for the Isabella Dam repairs, with a proposed completion year of 2017, is absolutely astonishing, considering it took half that time to complete the dam it in the first place.

On April 28, 2006 a seepage problem was found in the Isabella Auxiliary Dam. The Corps of Engineers’ estimated completion date is 2017; a total of 11+ years. You might remember that it took only two years to pour all of the concrete in one of the largest dams in the entire world, the Hoover Dam.

In today’s world, with stimulus monies readily available now for shovel-ready projects and dams, I have not heard of a more urgent and shovel-ready project than the Lake Isabella Dam. In 1936, it was declared that flood control was a national priority since floods constituted a menace to our national welfare. Since 1936, Congress has authorized the Corps of Engineers to help protect and maintain our dams and reservoirs.

With all of this modern day red tape etc., God forbid we have a “hundred-year flood.” I know, and I am sure you know, that it could happen; the danger could be enhanced by this extraordinary 11-year repair schedule set by the Corps.

In today’s modern world, I would think a very small dam compared to the Boulder Dam or Bonneville Dam or the Panama Canal would not present such a entangled, complex and interminable problem for the Corps, especially since the Dam is listed as one of the most at risk dams in the entire nation. In fact, in a worst case scenario, if the dam were to fail, it is estimated that more than 300,000 lives could be lost from Lake Isabella to Bakersfield. Keeping the Isabella Dam water levels low, does not reduce this inordinate risk during an epoch flood year, the only thing that reduces the risk is to make repairs in a prudent and timely manner. Will it take dam repairs 20 or 30 years in the future? If so, this is obviously not a healthy or safe trend.

Robert Diller

Soquel