ROANOKE, Va., Nov. 9, 2007 – Because of below-average rainfall and forecasts predicting continuing drought-like conditions, Appalachian Power, a unit of American Electric Power (AEP), has announced that it will not lower the water level of its Claytor Lake hydroelectric facility in Pulaski County this fall.

Appalachian conducts an annual “drawdown” of the Claytor reservoir to allow lakefront residents and volunteers an opportunity for dock and other property maintenance and repair. The drawdown is done in partnership with the Friends of Claytor Lake (FOCL) and state and federal agencies.

Predictions indicate that if the lake is lowered by five feet for the maintenance work, it may not be able to recover to its normal operating level of 1,846 feet in a reasonable amount of time. The current lake level is less than 1,845 feet.

According to Teresa P. Rogers, supervisor of environmental and regulatory affairs, Appalachian has monitored inflow conditions since recent rains in the watershed in hopes that higher inflows would continue. While the rains increased inflow from New River for a time, the level has dropped again to about 1,100 cubic feet per second (cfs).

“We are currently operating the Claytor Project in autocycle, releasing a minimum flow of 750 cfs downriver in order to raise the water level as much as possible,” Rogers said. “We would require inflow of about 2300 cfs to reach full level in about a week.”

“Based on those requirements, the current inflow and projections from the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook, we have no choice but to cancel the drawdown for this year,” she added.

Water levels of all AEP hydroelectric facilities are posted and regularly updated on the company’s Web site: http://www.aep.com/environmental/renewables/hydro/default.asp