As a result of the around-the-clock work on the Lewis Creek Reservoir dam, Entergy Texas President and CEO Sallie Rainer reported to Montgomery County officials today that the threat of a dam failure has substantially decreased, but has not been completely eliminated.
Based on revised weather forecasts that lowered rainfall predictions, County Judge Craig Doyal, in concert with Sheriff Tommy Gage, Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador, and emergency officials, has cancelled the mandatory evacuation for neighborhoods near the Lewis Creek Reservoir.
After early rains today, geotechnical engineers and officials with Entergy Texas, Inc. inspected the Lewis Creek levee and found no additional areas of concern.
To reduce the risk of levee failure and help protect the community, Entergy Texas, Inc. officials took Lewis Creek units 1 and 2 offline last night. This will allow the continued reduction of water level in the Lewis Creek Reservoir.
Workers made good progress yesterday and last night to mitigate the soil slides along the Lewis Creek Reservoir levee. Efforts continue in advance of expected heavy rains.
The dam surrounding the reservoir at the Lewis Creek Power Station near Willis continues to hold with no seepage or breaches. Workers are continuing to make repairs to areas where persistent heavy rains have caused the dam's soil to become saturated to the point of sloughing off.
Entergy personnel continue working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to investigate and mitigate the environmental impact of dielectric fluid on the river following the May 9 transformer failure at Indian Point Unit 3.
Entergy Texas, Inc. notified local authorities this afternoon of the potential for dam failure at the Lewis Creek Reservoir near Conroe. The persistent rainfall experienced in the surrounding area has caused extensive saturation of the soils that make up the reservoir dam.
Entergy continues to investigate the cause of the failed transformer and subsequent spill of the transformer's dielectric fluid following the event which occurred on May 9. The failed transformer is located outdoors in the transformer yard and external to any buildings that contain radioactive materials.
