CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Conservation Agency and the Capitol Conservation District will be drawing down the pool at Elk Two Mile No. 14 dam in Kanawha County over the next several weeks to allow for a seep repair to the dam’s embankment.

The prep work and the repairs to the dam, which sits off Hunter Road in the Rutledge area, are expected to be ongoing for several months and the pool may not be fully replenished until the fall of 2022. A recent job showing was held and the seep repair work is expected to begin by early June.  

The pool will be reduced about 1 foot per day over the next month, and possibly a few additional days after a full month’s time. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Dam Safety office recommended the slow draw down to reduce the possibility of any slipping on the upstream side of the embankment.  

The seep repair work includes excavation and the installation of a seep collection system. The time frame for the work is 60 calendar days.

Elk Two Mile No. 14 was built in 1996 and is 66 feet tall. It has a maximum storage capacity of nearly 231 acre-feet of water, or more than 75.2 million gallons.

Fishing will continue to be allowed at Elk Two Mile No. 14’s pool during the drawdown period and anglers are encouraged to keep their fish, while being sure to follow the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources’ daily creel limits. Those who fish should be aware of soft soil and muddy conditions where the water has receded.

The mission of the West Virginia Conservation Agency is to provide for and promote the protection and conservation of West Virginia’s soil, land, water and related resources for the health, safety and general welfare of the state’s citizens.