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HARRISBURG, Pa. (March 31) – The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) announced today that it will provide an update on repairs and upgrades needed at Children’s Lake in Cumberland County during the South Middleton Township board of supervisors meeting on April 13.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. and is open to the public. The township office is located at 520 Park Drive, Boiling Springs, PA 17007.
The lake was drawn down by about two feet last summer to relieve pressure on the dam and slow seepage, which had created piping in the ground and had led to a sinkhole forming on Bucher Hill Road. The township repaired the sinkhole last fall.
Approximately $1.8 million is needed to repair the dam and bring it into full compliance with Department of Environmental Protection standards. The project is expected to take at least four years to complete, beginning from the time that a funding source is identified.
The first phase of the project includes design and permitting and typically takes from 18-24 months. Until this phase is completed, the water level at the lake will be held at its current depth, which varies slightly between one and two feet below normal pool.
The second phase is the actual construction component. During this time, the lake will be drained.
The lower water level did not have an impact on the number of trout stocked in the lake prior to trout season. The lake was stocked on March 21 in advance of the March 25 Mentored Youth Trout Day and the April 1 Regional Opening Day of Trout Season.
Two more in-season stockings are scheduled for April 6 and April 28. Adjustments to the in-season trout allocations are not anticipated. However, they may occur based on lake conditions.
The boat ramp at the lake also remains open. However, boaters are urged to use caution when launching and determine based on their experience if they can safely launch their boats. Because of the lower water level, users will likely have to wade into the lake to get boats into deep enough water to launch.
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