USACE announces hydropower unit outages, AGFC anticipates minimal issues for trout anglers

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has announced ongoing work at Norfork Dam will require hydropower unit outages over the next several months.

According to a release from USACE, the outages may cause tailwater, rain and siphon data to not populate on the USACE website and app.

During the outages, the siphon (used for minimum flow) will run continuously and conduits (i.e., sluice gates) will be used to make cold water releases, as well as pass flood waters, until the hydropower units are available to resume generation.

For Norfork Tailwater trout anglers, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) states they do not anticipate any issues with the trout population at this time. AGFC will monitor the water quality closely throughout the tailwater while the hydropower units are unavailable. AGFC says anglers should be mindful of water levels when fishing on the tailwater, due to the timing and duration of water releases will vary.

Officials state the timing and duration of the conduit releases will vary based on pool elevation and downstream water temperatures.

The total water release information may be found on the website at swl-wc.usace.army.mil and on the app during the outages. The app can be found in mobile app stores by searching for “USACE Little Rock.”

For any questions or concerns regarding trout anglers, contact AGFC at (870) 425-7577.

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